Wait What? Arienai
by Yellow Green Fish
Summary: When fans of Quan Zhi (The King's Avatar) travels into the world of Ye Xiu and co., what's a fan gotta do! I don't believe this! Rated T for swearing. SPOILERS ALERT! (though I have yet to progress that far)
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: The King's Avatar does not belong to me. All rights to their respective owners.

Also, please read & review, and do let me know if I had made any mistakes :)

 **Prologue**

"Slurp~ Mmm, yummy!" I slurped up the last mouthful of noodles, burping in contentment. My younger sister opposite me, who had just finished her ramen, started nagging, "unnie, faster! The movie is starting soon!"

"Ok, ok." I took one last mouthful of soup, and wiped my mouth dry. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I stood up and followed my younger sister out of the restaurant.

The moment I stepped out of the establishment, my vision started spinning, and my head felt as if it would split apart. I could feel the bile rise up my throat, but I quickly forced them back down. Suddenly, the temperature around me dropped, and I could feel a freezing gust of wind assault my skin.

"Ugggg…" No matter how hard I tried to move, my limbs were numb, and refused to obey my commands. Thankfully, the spinning began to slow down, and the pain started to subside.

"AH-CHOO!" _F*ck, why is it so bloody cold?! Isn't it supposed to be sunny all year around?! Gah I'd better find someplace warm…_

Stumbling forward, I nearly bumped into...something. _Warm air?_ I stepped forward, and went through a revolving door. _It's warm…._ My body unconsciously relaxed, though my spinning vision has yet to stop.

"Hey miss, no drunks allowed in the cafe. Kindly leave the premises immediately."

 _Wha-? I didn't even drink today, why did you assume that I'm a drunk?! ...Wait, why do I smell of alcohol? ...Ugg my head...ahhh I give up…_ and my body slackened, toppling over. Before I lost consciousness, I could feel a pair of arms grab me.

"Whoa, are you alright miss?...Miss?" _Ew, she stinks of alcohol. And she's heavy, too._

"Brother Ye, is she alright?" The little sister at the counter stood up.

"I think she just drank too much, she's passed out already."

"Oh dear, what do we do? It's too cruel to throw her out on the streets, especially not with what she's wearing."

Ye Xiu did a double take, and he then realised that the stranger in his arms was dressed way too little for the winter weather. A black mini dress, black boots, and a red plaid flannel. _Seriously? Does she think she is Superwoman?_

"Ye Xiu what are you doing?!" Chen Guo shrieked. Despite feeling moody, her misery was replaced by shock and disgust when she saw her new cafe manager holding an unconscious girl. But before she could scold Ye Xiu for being a pervert, the little sister explained the situation.

After hearing everything, her anger dissipated, her melancholy surging back. Sighing, she asked Ye Xiu to bring the stranger upstairs and let her bunk on the living room sofa. After all, she might have been depressed and binged on alcohol to forget the pain. Having come to her own conclusions, Chen Guo very generously decided to let her spend the night.


	2. Chapter 1

The next morning, she woke up in a daze, her head spinning. _Ugg...where am I? I don't remember installing such lights in my house…I don't remember owning such stuff…._

Yawning, she stretched her arms and struggled to sit up. Her arm hit the back of the sofa, and it was then that she realised she had spent the night on a stranger's couch. Groaning, she pulled herself upright, her mind in a blur.

"Oh, you're awake?"

She turned her head and looked blearily at the man who had spoken. She rubbed her eyes, and not believing what she had seen, she rubbed them again. Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth. Before she could say anything, he hastily said, "don't worry, I didn't take advantage of you last night. In fact, the owner of this flat is my boss. She should be asleep in her room."

Pausing, he added, "my name is Ye Xiu. How are you feeling now?"

She gaped at Ye Xiu, her face blank. She blinked once, twice, before replying, "...my name is Rebecca. I'm feeling better, thank you for your concern." It was then she realised that she had subconsciously used her English name, and she hurriedly said, "my Chinese name is Jing Jing. Huang Jing Jing."

"Oh, an overseas Chinese? (huaqiao)"

Jing Jing shook her head, "no, I'm ethnic Chinese. (huaren)"

There was a slight pause before Ye Xiu said, "oh, I see. …Is there anything else?"

She shook her head.

"I shall be going to sleep now. Good night."

"Good night."

After Ye Xiu entered the storage room and closed the door, Jing Jing nearly screamed. _WTF?! I travelled to the world of Quan Zhi?!_ Her thoughts raced about as she assessed her current situation. _I don't have a home, no extra clothes, no income...can I even use my credit cards?! How am I going to live?! Not to mention, what about my IC?! Is it even legal here?!_

Jing Jing had a mini meltdown, her face full of shock and disbelief, as she sat there absorbing the reality of her situation. The minutes ticked by, her thoughts racing in all directions, and the creases between her brows deepened.

Eventually, she forced herself to calm down, knowing that panicking would do her no good. She reached for her bag, and checked her phone. Thankfully, it seemed to be in working order, though her contact list was wiped clean. She tried calling her family, but it couldn't get through. Next, she checked her bank accounts, but could not open any app. _Hmmm...looks like I'll have to go down to the bank outlet and check if my accounts even exist._

As she sat there pondering what to do, a pretty lady staggered out of one bedroom, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She saw Jing Jing sitting on the sofa, her brows furrowed, her expression worried.

"Hello, my name is Chen Guo. You came into my cafe drunk last night, so I let you bunk for the night. How are you feeling right now?"

Chen Guo's words brought her out of her thoughts, and she replied, "thank you so much for letting me stay last night. My name is Huang Jing Jing…" she trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

"Mm-hmm?"

 _How do I convince her to keep me? Make up a story? …Nah it'll just bite me in the ass one day… forget it, I'll just wing it._ "...I…don't have a home or a family to return to, can you please keep me? I'll do any work, and I'll even sleep on the couch." _Well, I'm not lying, but I'm not exactly explaining the reason why I even ended up in this situation in the first place._ Jing Jing kept quiet, chewing on her lips nervously. Chen Guo's heart softened.

 _How sad...her family must have died or something...and her useless boyfriend must have dumped her and kicked her out of their apartment._ Apparently, Chen Guo had watched way too many dramas and her mind already helped Jing Jing make up a story.

"Don't worry Jing Jing, I'll let you stay. As for work, I currently have enough employees, so stay here and relax. Forget about that asshole who dumped you. I'll make sure you'll find a good boyfriend in the future."

 _Wait what did you just say?! I never even mentioned any boyfriend_ _how the heck did you even come up with that?!_ … _Ah well it saves me the trouble of lying to her._

"Thank you Chen Guo. I appreciate your generosity."

"No problem, and you don't need to be so formal with me. Just call me Guo Guo."

Jing Jing smiled, "thank you Guo Guo."

"You're welcome. Hold on, let me get you a toothbrush and towel, then we get some breakfast, 'kay?"

Jing Jing nodded, and waited obediently at the sofa. Awhile later, Chen Guo passed Jing Jing a new toothbrush and towel. They took turns washing up, and once done, they proceeded downstairs to get some breakfast.

A/N: According to Oxford, huaqiao are Chinese migrants who are loyal to China. Huaren, on the other hand, are Chinese migrants/their descendants who are loyal to their host countries.


	3. Chapter 2

Another chappie up~ Please let me know what you think, and don't hesitate to point out any mistakes I make.

A few hours later, Jing Jing was introduced to the returning Tang Rou, who was carrying tons of bags. When they shook hands, Tang Rou observed that Jing Jing's hands were rough and callused, while Jing Jing admired Tang Rou's smooth, pretty hand, though she only snuck a quick glance.

After the introductions, Jing Jing and Chen Guo helped Tang Rou bring the bags upstairs. Once done, Chen Guo told Tang Rou that she will be bringing Jing Jing out to get her daily necessities. Tang Rou nodded, and went off to unpack the bags she brought.

Chen Guo brought Jing Jing to a nearby shopping mall, and went into a shopping spree. She dragged Jing Jing to one shop after another; picking out many different styles of clothes and insisting Jing Jing try them on. They shopped non-stop for several hours, and it was only when Jing Jing pleaded exhaustion did Chen Guo agree that they go back.

Upon returning to the internet cafe, Chen Guo emptied out half a cupboard and a drawer so that Jing Jing could pack her new clothes inside. While Jing Jing was storing her newly bought clothes, Tang Rou asked Chen Guo about the new employee she hired, Ye Xiu, and mentioned that she heard he made Chen Guo extremely angry on his first day of job.

Chen Guo was rendered speechless, and thought of all the bad and good things he had done within the two days.

When Tang Rou prodded her again, Chen Guo replied that Ye Xiu is very good at Glory, but Tang Rou was doubtful. Chen Guo wanted to call Ye Xiu out to PK with Tang Rou, but the latter stopped the former, explaining that they should let Ye Xiu rest and wait till he's gotten up. Chen Guo was a tad reluctant, but she agreed with Tang Rou.

Jing Jing, who had just finished her packing, suddenly spoke up, "Guo Guo, what is Glory?"

"Oh, Glory is a very popular MMO, it's been running for 10 years! It's super fun! Wanna join me?"

"Hmmm, sounds interesting. Why not?"

Guo Guo internally cheered. _Yes! I've now gotten someone else interested in this game. Now I just have to get Jing Jing to love the game, and then even if Ye Xiu fails to entice Rou Rou, we can both pester Rou Rou to play with us!_

Chen Guo continued to share with Jing Jing about the different classes of Glory, and even showed her cool cuts of the pro-players PKing in the competitive scene. Jing Jing could only laugh in her heart. _Guo Guo, even if you didn't entice me to play Glory, I would have done so myself. After all, Ye Xiu said that he won't get bored of the game even if he played for another ten years. I want to see for myself how attractive Glory can be._

"Guo Guo, stop tempting me, let's play Glory now!"

Chen Guo nodded fervently, and brought Jing Jing to the counter to get a new Glory card. Jing Jing wanted to pay, but Chen Guo waved it off. Thus, she decided to play in the fifth server together with Chen Guo. While Jing Jing was creating her character, Ye Xiu came downstairs.

Chen Guo called out to Ye Xiu, but he was lost in his thoughts, and didn't answer her. She then patted his back, and introduced him to Tang Rou. Finding the scene familiar, Jing Jing stopped what she was doing, and scooted up close. _Drumroll please~_ _Let the drama begin~_

Throughout the entire show *cough cough*, Jing Jing stood near the three main actors *cough Chen Guo cough Ye Xiu cough Tang Rou* and watched how he made Chen Guo angry, and then bullied Tang Rou in the Arena. _Ah if only I have popcorn…oh oh she slapped down another bill..._

The defeat lit a fire in Tang Rou, and she insisted on PK-ing again and again, not satisfied with losing. After eleven rounds, Tang Rou ran out of money. She wanted to go get more, but Ye Xiu stopped her. Due to the eleven rounds of PK, many people had crowded around Ye Xiu and Tang Rou. Upon finding out that Ye Xiu had a silver weapon, many rushed over to see.

Meanwhile, Chen Guo and Jing Jing brought Tang Rou upstairs, wanting to comfort her, but she was not depressed. In fact, Tang Rou even laughed and coaxed them to go look at Ye Xiu's Thousand Chance Umbrella (TCU), but Chen Guo huffed that she was his boss, and Jing Jing said she will stick to Chen Guo like glue until they see it. When the crowd dispersed, Chen Guo dashed downstairs, Jing Jing hot on her heels. They admired the TCU, and Chen Guo asked Ye Xiu a few questions. While they chatted, Jing Jing kept quiet, marveling at its design and admiring the genius who created the TCU. _It's such a pity that he died before he could make his mark on the pro scene. Even though they're all just characters from a web novel, being here… makes them real and not just a figment of our imagination._

Her heart ached, and she could feel the sadness welling up in her chest. She quietly retreated back to her computer, but could only stare into blank space, her mind lost in thoughts.

A/N: Please don't be surprised if you some parts familiar. After all, this fanfic follows the storyline (to a certain extent). However, I've abbreviated the chapters so as to not repeat the translations done.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Ohhh reviews. Thank you for taking your time to comment~ Totally appreciate it :) Boss Moss: you wanted longer chappies? Hahaha I'll try, but that will mean a longer update. Guest 1: thank you~ gambatte on writing a TKA fanfic! We totally need more writers to spread da luv. Guest 2: you guess? XP but my summary pretty much gave everything away...

Please R&R! And don't hesitate to tell me if I made ANY mistakes, be it plot holes or grammar.

When Jing Jing surfaced from her thoughts, she could hear Chen Guo attempting to teach Tang Rou about Battle Mages. Jing Jing chuckled, as Chen Guo was oohing and ahhing over God Ye's techniques rather than teaching something useful. Understanding that they will take a while, she continued with her character creation. _Character name…Green Fish? Okay, it's available. Hmmm…should my character be male or female? If male, obviously there will be less harassment, until I use voice chat and expose myself, but if female, coupled with my voice, it's easier to find a carry… …also, I don't know if Guo Guo is still up for power leveling me, since she is so psyched about helping Tang Rou… …forget it, I'd rather level up myself than rely on someone…okay then, male it is. As for his looks… …_

Jing Jing was so absorbed in her task that she did not hear Chen Guo calling her. She tapped Jing Jing on the shoulder, and the latter looked up, confused.

"Jing Jing, it's time for dinner. What are you doing? Ohh, creating your character?"

"Yup. Sec, I'm almost done." Jing Jing finalised her character's looks, and exited the game. She removed her card, and followed Chen Guo to the table filled with food.

Chen Guo was surprised that dinner was a lot more luxurious than usual, and upon finding out that it was Ye Xiu who ordered the food, felt disdained. However, Tang Rou didn't seem to mind, and was not even upset about the loss from betting.

"Brother Ye's not eating?" Jing Jing asked.

"Oh, he's revising the Battle Mage guides I prepared for Tang Rou."

"Ohhh, I see."

"Hurry up and eat. After eating, let's see what new trick that guy's come up with." Chen Guo said.

During dinner, Chen Guo apologised to Jing Jing for ignoring her in favor of Tang Rou, but she smiled, saying it's not a big deal as she had only just finished creating her character. In fact, she wanted to play around till level 20 to decide which class to choose, so Chen Guo can help Tang Rou first. Relieved, Chen Guo went back to her food. Tang Rou and Jing Jing exchanged smiles, before continuing to eat.

Once Jing Jing finished her food, she dived back into Glory, doing mains while reading the beginner's guides. She was so engrossed that she failed to notice Ye Xiu walk by her. Ye Xiu wasn't planning on disturbing her, but when saw that she was reading an outdated guide, he tapped her shoulder and said, "that guide is too outdated. I'd suggest reading the guide by Blaze. It's a lot more recent and also explains the game mechanics pretty well to newbies. However, it's a tad long."

"Ohhh okay, thank you Brother Ye."

"You're welcome." He turned to walk away, but she asked him, "brother Ye, which class should I play?"

He turned to look at her. "What class do you want to play?"

 _Well…I'd prefer guns but they are all pretty popular since each has an All Star player…_

"Hmmm…what's the least popular class in Glory?"

"Least popular class? Don't people usually want to play the strongest class?"

"Too much competition. But if I play the least popular class, there will be no one to fight with me for gear! Also, it's easier to win PKs because people will not know your class very well."

"… …" He raised his eyebrow and gave her a judging look, to which she shot back with a look of her own.

"How about we PK first, let me get a feel of your play style, then I'll recommend you the class which suits you best?"

"Sure."

As Green Fish is only level 2, Jing Jing went up to the counter and borrowed Chasing Haze from Chen Guo. With Ye Xiu's instructions, guided the character to the arena, and set up Fixed Field. Seeing that it was Jing Jing's first time playing Glory, he gave her a few minutes to learn the controls, then he started the match.

In the first two rounds, Ye Xiu went easy on Jing Jing, letting her get a feel of the game. She went slow as well, testing out the different skills and observing their effects. Once she had a good grasp of the skills, she increased her hand speed.

The sudden spike in hand speed surprised Ye Xiu, but it wasn't something he couldn't handle. _Hmmm not bad. Around 300 APM or so._ He raised his APM as well, and easily killed Chasing Haze.

Jing Jing stared at the screen in silence, eyes lost in thought. When Ye Xiu wanted to comfort her, she looked him in the eye. "Again." Jing Jing paused, before adding, "please."

Relieved that she was not crushed by her defeat, Ye Xiu agreed and they continued to PK for several more rounds. As the battles went on, he could see improvements in her performance. At first, she had dodged too late, as if she was not used to the Launcher's slow movement speed. In the later battles, she adapted and changed her strategy, maximising on the long range and firepower of a Launcher. The battle time inched longer with each round, and the damage she dealt gradually increased as well. _Jing Jing is pretty gifted, but it's a pity she started playing Glory too late._

Seeing Ye Xiu sigh, Jing Jing asked, "what's the matter?"

"You have potential, but you started playing Glory too late to enter the pro scene."

"Too late? I know I'm already 19, but do I really not have a chance?"

"19?" His jaw dropped. _Crap, I thought she was 23 or something_ … _luckily I didn't say that._

As if she could read his thoughts, her eyes narrowed, and she stated icily, "you thought I was 23 or something."

Without even waiting for his explanation, she stood up, loosening her joints. Smirking evilly, she added, "I practiced Taekwondo before, am I glad I can finally put it to use…"

Ye Xiu paled slightly, his body tensing up. "Now now we are all civilised people let's not use our fists… …" Jing Jing took a step forward, cracking her knuckles. "... I'm sorry I overestimated your age."

She backed down, mollified by his apology.

Switching the topic, Ye Xiu said, "Jing Jing, you play very well for a first timer. You learn and adapt fast, and your tactics, though green, show your potential. You seem to prefer a class that's more agile, and with more arsenal at your disposal. Try a Sharpshooter."

"Huh. That was pretty much what I expected." _Though I honestly don't want Sharpshooter because Zhou Ze Kai's popularity will peak when he wins the championship...that means more competition for gear… …hmm maybe I can try mixing it up with Spitfire or Mechanic skills..._

Ye Xiu rolled his eyes. "Then why ask me?"

"I wanted a professional opinion."

Ye Xiu rolled his eyes again, and continued on to the smoking area.

"Thank you."

He waved his hand lazily, and added, "if you have any questions feel free to ask me."

Jing Jing nodded, and went back to her seat. _Okay, now let's look for Blaze's guide..._

A/N: whatever I underlined I lifted it from the Gravity Tales translation.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry for the late update peeps, it's been busier than usual for the past 2 weeks, and I don't think it's gonna slow down any time soon. But I don't intend on abandoning the story, and I promise to keep the quality as high as possible. Boss Moss, omg that's a great idea! I'll see if I can insert it in somewhere, but I can totally imagine the DRAMA hahahahaha XD. Guest 3, I use British English, so colour, realise, etc. As always, feel free to critique my work! It's a good way to improve my writing skills.

Let me repeat once again, other than OCs, Quan Zhi doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Butterfly Blue.

Jing Jing was happily leveling up her character, running around in the low leveled areas completing quests when suddenly, she could hear an uproar in the internet cafe. Turning away from her monitor, she saw many customers stand up and head in a certain direction. Removing her headset, she stood up as well. _Isn't that the smoking area?_ Intrigued, she followed the crowd as well.

On the way there, she saw Chen Guo heading towards the same direction, asking others about the cause of the commotion. They excitedly explained that Lord Grim had completed the first kill for the wild boss, Blood Gunner, in server ten. _Oh? So that means he just met Steamed Bun Invasion. I've gotta hurry up and level, and help him get rare materials and gear. But first, let's get a front row seat._

With that thought in mind, Jing Jing squeezed forward, and could hear Ye Xiu shouting to his teammates to run. Some of the tenth server players gossiped about the situation, and even joked around with Chen Guo. Jing Jing kept quiet, but listened to the chatter around her, while watching Ye Xiu nimbly escape from his pursuers.

When she saw Thousand Creations recover from Lord Grim's Falling Light Blade and attempt to use Sky Strike, she thought, _tsk tsk tsk you dare attack your idol? You should be ashamed of yourself. Trying to show off your skills (or lack thereof) in front of the ancestor of all Battle Mages?! Hurhurhur._ True enough, Ye Xiu interrupted Sky Strike, and threatened to bully them if they dare continue chasing him. Everyone sniggered, for they could see that Ye Xiu had run out of mana.

Once Ye Xiu successfully escaped, Jing Jing retreated back to her computer, eager to level up and improve herself. The crowd praised Ye Xiu for stealing the first kill, and asked about the loot. After casually chatting with the surrounding players, they dispersed, only to reveal Chen Guo standing there. Ye Xiu glanced at the time on the computer, and found out that it was almost his shift. He rapidly logged out and headed towards the reception.

Chen Guo went over to see what Ye Xiu was doing at the counter, and looked down on him for being so addicted to the game. She went to Tang Rou, reminding her that it was already 11pm. However, Tang Rou was also too engrossed in the game, and waved Chen Guo off, which caused the latter to deflate slightly. Noticing the slight dip in her mood, Jing Jing said, "Guo Guo, wait for me. I'm heading upstairs to sleep too."

"Okay."

Jing Jing swiftly exited the game and pulled out her account card. Together with Chen Guo, they made their way up the stairs, and prepared for bed. Jing Jing wanted to sleep on the couch, but Chen Guo refused, explaining that Ye Xiu is also sleeping in the same apartment, so she should not sleep out in the open with a wolf on the loose. Jing Jing laughed, replying that she had practiced Taekwondo for many years and isn't scared of a weakling like Ye Xiu. However, Chen Guo was adamant, and insisted they share her bed. Seeing that Chen Guo refused to budge, Jing Jing caved and agreed.

The next morning, Chen Guo woke up, and was shocked for a moment when she saw a body next to her. Once her brain was functioning, she remembered her offer to share a bed with Jing Jing. Yawning, she quietly climbed out of bed, careful not to wake her up. She padded to the door, only to remember that Ye Xiu is sharing the apartment with them, so she checked her pyjamas before heading out. Upon discovering that both Tang Rou and Ye Xiu had pulled an all-nighter, she was gobsmacked. Chen Guo quickly washed up, and rushed downstairs.

Chen Guo wanted to nag at Tang Rou, but quickly lost her fire with Tang Rou's nonchalance. Speechless, she went out to buy breakfast for Tang Rou, Ye Xiu, Jing Jing and herself. She gave the breakfast to both Ye Xiu and Tang Rou, and was stunned with their conversation. _These two are crazy! Are they going to continue pulling all-nighters?!_ Angered, she decided to not care about the both of them anymore.

When Jing Jing woke up, she panicked slightly. She looked around the foreign room, trying to recollect her memories. As her brain booted up, she remembered that she had spent the night in Chen Guo's room. Yawning, she rolled out of bed, and slowly made her way to the bathroom. While brushing her teeth, Jing Jing tried to recall the events in the story of Quan Zhi, but with over 1700 chapters, it's not easy. _I'm sure that travelling into this world meant something. Even if I don't do anything, just by appearing here, disrupts the flow of time and events. I might as well do what I want to do, and hopefully influence the plot to go according to my wishes._ With that thought in mind, Jing Jing finished washing up and changed out of her PJs.

Taking her wallet, Jing Jing planned to go downstairs and buy breakfast, and check if she could use her cards. However, she saw that Chen Guo had bought her breakfast and changed her plans. _Ugg it's a tad cold, but I guess it's the thought that counts._ She took her breakfast and nibbled on it, while using her smartphone. She quickly found the location of the bank outlet, and made a mental note to go there soon. _I can't keep leeching off Guo Guo, it's not fair to her. Hopefully I can use my money, if not...guess I'll have to freeload till I get a job. Or become a pro._ Jing Jing laughed morosely. Once done, she cleared up the crumbs and headed downstairs.

"Good morning Guo Guo~"

"Good morning."

Jing Jing could tell from Chen Guo's reply that she was slightly miffed. Walking up to Chen Guo, she gave Chen Guo a gentle hug and pat. Chen Guo deflated, and complained to Jing Jing about both Ye Xiu and Tang Rou, and how Ye Xiu is a bad influence on Tang Rou. Jing Jing soothed Chen Guo's ruffled feathers, and distracted Chen Guo by asking her to share any gossip she had about the pro-players. Chen Guo happily obliged, and chatted non-stop about the gossip she heard over the years.

During lunch, Jing Jing was surprised to see Tang Rou and Ye Xiu still awake. She knew that they had both pulled all-nighters, and asked if they were feeling alright. They were grateful for her concern, but reassured her that they can take care themselves. As both are already adults, she dropped the matter.

After lunch, Ye Xiu went off to sleep, while Tang Rou continued on with her shift. Tang Rou wanted to play Glory, but there were too many customers for Tang Rou to play uninterrupted. Jing Jing went up to Tang Rou, and said that she would take over for the latter. Tang Rou refused, but Jing Jing was insistent about it and managed to convince Tang Rou to let her sub in. Tang Rou briefly taught Jing Jing how to handle the customers, before she got shooed off by Jing Jing.

When Chen Guo went to the counter, she was surprised to see Jing Jing on duty instead of Tang Rou. She wanted to ask Jing Jing where Tang Rou was, but instead helped settle the payments as she was working too slowly. Luckily, Jing Jing is also relatively good looking, thus the customers were slightly more patient. Once they settled the customers, Chen Guo turned to Jing Jing. She knew what Chen Guo was going to ask her, so she explained that she is covering for Tang Rou to let her rest. Jing Jing even suggested letting Tang Rou have all afternoon shifts in the future since the latter is most likely to continue playing all night in the near future. Chen Guo wanted to nag Jing Jing for indulging in Tang Rou, but Jing Jing held up her hand to stop Chen Guo, and started explaining.

"Guo Guo, Tang Rou is a very strong-willed person. Her aim in Glory is to defeat Ye Xiu. Thus, by letting her play all night, she can level at the same rate as Lord Grim. Not only that, by playing with an experienced gamer, Tang Rou can improve even faster, and enter the pro scene. Didn't she want to become the next owner of One Autumn Leaf?"

Pausing, she took a sip of green tea.

"Besides, don't you feel happy for Tang Rou when you see her so motivated?"

That comment hit home. Though Chen Guo and Tang Rou have only known each other for two years, they are very close friends. Chen Guo remembered how disinterested Tang Rou was back then, but now, Tang Rou is full of energy, working towards a difficult goal she set herself. Her heart softened, and she thought, _maybe it's not so bad that Rou Rou now has a goal to work towards. Though I wish she would slow down a little._

Convinced, Chen Guo nodded, and decided to reshuffle the shifts so that Tang Rou do not need to work in the mornings. Jing Jing even offered to help Chen Guo cover Tang Rou's morning shifts if necessary, but Chen Guo refused, saying that she should recover from her broken heart and forget about her ex. To that, Jing Jing could only laugh awkwardly and continue manning the reception.

 **SPOILER ALERT**

P.S. Boss Moss, Su Mu Qiu's first class was a sharpshooter, but he's proficient in all gun classes. Dancing Rain was the account HE wanted to bring into the pro scene, but he died in a car accident before he could enter the pro scene. Yes, Dancing Rain is female, which would have made him a trap, but it was a private joke between him and Mu Cheng, since Dancing Rain's original name, 沐雨橙风，has Mu Cheng's (沐橙) name in it. Yes, I know it will make you cry, here, have a tissue.


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks for the reviews peeps, totally love them! XD Boss Moss of course, the All Stars have so much drama, I can't wait till I reached there! Naliyu, we know he doesn't deserve that, but it's how Butterfly Blue wrote the story T^T *huggles* I'm not sure if there's a spoiler below, but I marked it out...just in case.

As always, feel free to R&R! I greatly appreciate yall taking time out to review.

Once Tang Rou's shift was over, Jing Jing dragged Chen Guo over to play Glory with her. As Chen Guo was relatively free, she agreed and happily power leveled Green Fish till dinner time. Initially, she did not want to leave Tang Rou nor Ye Xiu any food, but changed her mind during dinner. After that, Jing Jing continued playing Glory, but Chen Guo pestered Jing Jing again and again until she promised that she would watch the 301 VS Excellent Era match together when it aired.

At 8.20pm, Ye Xiu arrived downstairs. He greeted the little sister on duty and asked about the match the cafe would be screening; she answered it is Excellent Era's match. At that time, Chen Guo, having settled her customers, dragged Jing Jing over with her to the reception desk, and saw Ye Xiu. He greeted Chen Guo, and she informed him that she left some food for him. Thanking Chen Guo, he went off to get his dinner.

"Jing Jing, are you excited? I can hardly wait!"

"A little." Jing Jing chuckled. "It's the first Glory match I'm watching."

Chen Guo smiled widely, and eagerly shared with her about Excellent Era and her idol, Su Mu Cheng. Jing Jing listened quietly, and could not help but smile at Chen Guo's idolatry. Meanwhile, Ye Xiu rapidly inhaled his food, waiting for the match to start.

"Guo Guo, who is playing in this match?"

"301 vs Excellent Era."

"301?"

Ye Xiu tuned out to Chen Guo's explanation, his mind running through the information he knew. At 8.30pm, the match began.

The commentator introduced the guest for that match: Li Yi Bo. _Lol, that outdated clown who keeps predicting wrongly. I wonder...what if they got Ye Xiu to replace Li Yi Bo? Or even Wei Chen? I can totally imagine the shameless comments they make._ Jing Jing chuckled to herself, dreaming up of all the possible scenarios that could occur.

"OH OH OH OH, SU MUCHENG!"

 _Wha-?_

Excited screams filled the air, snapping Jing Jing out of her thoughts. Ye Xiu was so shocked that he nearly fell off his chair. Noticing his expressions, Jing Jing chortled. _Hahaha you never expected that did you? Wait till I squeal that God Ye is here...hahahaha I can totally imagine the chaos... ...wait a minute... everyone here thinks Ye Xiu is not the Battle God...gah…_

The corners of her mouth dropped slightly, but she did not stay upset for long. After all, it is the first Glory match she will be watching, and she can hardly wait. Jing Jing sat upright, her eyes staring eagerly at the screen.

In the first individual match, Su Mu Cheng won beautifully against Gao Jie. The moment 'Glory' flashed onto the screen, the whole internet cafe went wild. Jing Jing cheered as well, overjoyed by her win. As the screen replayed Stellar Sword's death in slow motion, Jing Jing overheard Chen Guo and Ye Xiu chatting about Tri-Shot. _Hmmm…my hand speed is sufficient, but I lack the experience needed. I'll need to play more Glory before I can pull it off. Yosh! I'll stay up a bit later tonight!_

Grinning, Jing Jing re-focused on the projector, eagerly awaiting the next match. However, her mood sunk rapidly as the next two players from Excellent Era lost the matches. _I don't feel good...this seems familiar…_

Jing Jing shook her head, and decided not to think about it. Looking around, she noticed that Ye Xiu had gone out of Happy Internet Cafe to smoke. _He looked so forlorn...it can't be helped, he was recently forced to retire, how can he feel happy? Even though he seemed so calm, I'm sure it still hurts._

Sighing softly, Jing Jing turned back to the broadcast. She wanted to help Ye Xiu, but they are not close and she did not know how to comfort him. As such, Jing Jing could only continue watching the broadcast. The commentators wrapped up the individual competition and the group arena began.

As Sun Xiang used One Autumn Leaf to sweep the field, and chants of "1v3! 1v3!" echoed in Happy Internet Cafe, Jing Jing finally remembered why she had that sinking feeling in her stomach. _No wonder I felt so uncomfortable just now. It's the pit 301 dug for Sun Xiang, and he fell for it hook, line and sinker. And that despicable Liu Hao didn't even bother to remind Sun Xiang. Hmph, you think you are so smart, taking credit when it's due and pushing all the blame to others. Well, what goes around comes around. You, and Excellent Era, will definitely pay for it someday._

However, the fans' excitement cooled down rapidly in the third round. Xu Bin kept controlling Tide to evade One Autumn Leaf's attacks. Eventually, Sun Xiang defeated Xu Bin, much to the relief of both spectators and commentators. Though this round took longer than the two previous matches combined, all the spectators in the cafe were exhilarated. 1v3! That dominance, that mightiness, it harks back to the glory days of One Autumn Leaf back in the first several years of the Alliance! _Tsk tsk tsk, if only you knew._

During the highlight reel, Jing Jing stood up and went to the washroom, knowing that the crowds will soon follow. While washing her hands, several females pushed open the washroom door. They were eagerly chatting about Sun Xiang and One Autumn Leaf, and how Excellent Era is on the rise again. They also disdained Ye Qiu, saying that he should have retired sooner and not drag Excellent Era down.

"Hmph, times have changed. That old, useless Ye Qiu should have left sooner. He thinks he's so cool, never revealing himself to the public. But honestly, that's so old-fashioned! So many of these pro-players are celebrities, and not only earn big bucks, they have tons of fans too. Winning the Championships in the early days doesn't mean anything now. He's clinging onto his past glory, and dragged the team down with him. Now that he's gone, I say, good riddance!"

A vein ticked in Jing Jing's forehead, and she frowned. As a reader of Quan Zhi Gao Shou, she knew that Ye Xiu was forced into retirement due to his lack of commercial value, not because he's old and outdated. Jing Jing held back the sharp words she had, because it is not their fault for believing in what Liu Hao and Excellent Era had said. Ye Xiu never spoke up, so how was the public supposed to know anything? She stalked out of the washroom, and made a beeline for the exit.

As she reached the revolving doors, Jing Jing could hear Ye Xiu and Chen Guo's conversation.

"I was afraid my smoke would irritate you."

"Can't you just smoke less?"

Ye Xiu threw his cigarette into the trash can, and entered the cafe with Chen Guo.

"Eh? Jing Jing, what are you doing over here?"

"Nothing. I just need some fresh air. Be right back."

Before she could leave, Chen Guo grabbed her arm. "You don't need to keep everything to yourself. I might not be able to help, but it's always good to have someone to talk to."

Her eyes flickered up to meet Chen Guo's, and she smiled softly. "Thank you, but it's nothing really. Just heard something annoying, so I need some space to myself."

Chen Guo nodded, releasing her arm. Jing Jing stepped out of Happy, exhaling her breath. The cold wind blew, stinging her face. It cooled down her flaming cheeks, and Jing Jing took deep breaths, trying to redirect her anger elsewhere.

 **SPOILER ALERT (?) BELOW**

Suddenly, an extremely chilly wind blew, and Jing Jing shivered, her eyes forced shut. When she reopened her eyes, the world around her was spinning. _Oh no...it's just like when I first came here._ Her stomach churned, but it was a lot less intense than when she first arrived. _Am I gonna return back to my world before it even started? No...I will stay! And win the championship with Happy!_ Soon, she could see clearly again and her stomach settled down.

 **SPOILER OVER (?)**

"Cold…." a heavy weight crashed into Jing Jing, and she instinctively turned to the foreign mass leaning against her. _...a girl? She's wearing a floral cotton dress and denim jacket, plus sneakers …don't tell me…_ Jing Jing did not even need to think to know the answer.

As Jing Jing stood there dumbstruck, the stranger's shivers brought her back to her senses. _I must bring her in, and fast!_ Slinging the girl's arm over her shoulder, her right arm snaking around the girl's waist, Jing Jing half-carried the stranger into Happy.


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: So tired from work, but I managed to squeeze some time out to finish this chapter ahead of schedule \\(^o^)/ hopefully it will answer your burning question(s) about the stranger from last chapter. Though I would love for Jing Jing to snap at that ignorant fan for dissing Ye Xiu, she wouldn't because (1) getting into a fight doesn't solve the problem (2) they are huge fans of Excellent Era, so when its rankings drop, they will want to blame someone. Sadly, because Ye Xiu doesn't interact with his fans/make a statement, Liu Hao and Excellent Era gets to say whatever they want. Don't worry, what goes around comes around, and they will pay. DEARLY. Anyways, on with the story!

Jing Jing slowly trudged in with the stranger, leaning against the counter to catch her breath. The sister at the reception was startled, her jaw dropped and eyes wide; Jing Jing briefly explained the situation. The sister nodded, and asked another employee to help bring the stranger to a corner to rest. Upon settling her down, a bang exploded, and the lights went out. Amidst the exclamations, Jing Jing dug out her hand phone, fumbling to switch on the flashlight. A few seconds later, the emergency lights turned on. Seeing that it has yet to descend into chaos, Jing Jing turned her attention back to the shivering stranger. Jing Jing quickly removed her coat, wrapping it around the girl. The other employee motioned that he will be going to help manage the crowd, and headed for the reception. Jing Jing debated if she should run upstairs to get a blanket, but decided against it and opted to rub the girl's hands in an attempt to warm her up.

Meanwhile, Chen Guo had called Little Li to check the circuit breaker, but did not know how to fix it. Once the customers heard the news, they swarmed to the counter, rushing to pay their bills and leave. In their haste, they squeezed Chen Guo against the reception, and she roared, "don't squeeze! Line up one by one!"

Despite that, the customers continued to push Chen Guo against the counter. Sighing, Jing Jing puckered her lips, whistling shrilly. Silence descended upon the room. She tilted her chin up, projecting her voice across the room. "Please don't crowd the reception! Boss Chen is gonna turn into a pancake!"

 _Wha-?_

The customers starting chuckling, amused by her speech. Jing Jing reiterated, "please line up orderly! We will quickly settle your bills, so please do not crowd the reception!"

Grinning, the customers obliged, and stopped squeezing towards the reception. The staff quickly reacted, helping the patrons to settle their payments. Relieved, Chen Guo managed to get behind the reception desk, Ye Xiu right behind her.

"Ugggg…"

Jing Jing turned her head to face the stranger. "How are you feeling? Still cold?"

The girl looked blearily at Jing Jing, dazed and confused. She slowly replied, "...better, but still a bit cold."

"Wait here, let me go get you some hot tea."

She nodded her head, curling her body into a ball on the chair. Jing Jing quickly prepared a cup of hot green tea, and carefully passed it to her.

She gingerly sipped the tea, letting the warm liquid flow down her throat and into her stomach. Looking up at Jing Jing, she said, "thank you. I'm feeling much better now. Who are you?"

"My name is Rebecca, but they call me Jing Jing. You are-?"

"...Selene."

Jing Jing took the hot tea from Selene, and placed it on the table. She bent down and whispered, "have you read The King's Avatar? Or Quan Zhi Gao Shou?"

Selene raised her eyebrow, wondering why Jing Jing brought up the topic, but nodded her head in assent. Jing Jing continued whispering, "congratulations. You have travelled to the world of Quan Zhi."

Selene jerked her head up, eyes full of disbelief. Jing Jing asked, "did you feel dizzy and nauseous when you first arrived? And the weather suddenly turned cold, even though it was sunny a minute ago?"

Selene nodded woodenly, as that was exactly what she experienced a while ago. _But how could she describe so clearly? Unless..._

Selene stared questioningly at Jing Jing, who gave a slight nod in return. Selene broke into a wide grin, relieved that she is not alone in this world. Jing Jing smiled warmly too, and she briefly explained the situation to Selene.

"Now, do you have a Chinese name? I doubt you want them to call you Selene..."

"...Cai Lin."

Grinning mischievously, Jing Jing stuck out her hand. "Hello, I am Huang Jing Jing, 19 this year, currently a freeloader at Happy Internet Cafe."

Cai Lin replied with equal verve, "Hello Jing Jing, nice to meet you. My name is Cai Lin, and I turn 16 this year. I hope to be freeloader number two at Happy Internet Cafe."

They shook hands briefly before dissolving into muffled giggles, much to the confusion of the few remaining customers in Happy.

Seeing that she had no idea when the electricity will be back on, Chen Guo allowed her employees to leave early, who did so happily. However, Ye Xiu was worried and even ran outside several times to look for the electrician. Even Tang Rou was so concerned that she ran out to check if the electrician had arrived. It warmed Chen Guo's heart that they cared so much about the Internet Cafe, but upon hearing that they were only worried about not being able to level up, she raged.

"Both of you go to your rooms and sleep!" Chen Guo stamped her feet furiously.

Jing Jing and Cai Lin halted their conversation, wondering what made Chen Guo so upset. They scooted over, eager to watch the drama.

"I just got up. Why should I sleep?" Tang Rou said.

"I'm feeling pretty good." Ye Xiu said.

Speechless, Chen Guo could only turn to Jing Jing and start complaining. "Jing Jing! These two are too much! They only care about the game!"

Before Chen Guo could continue ranting, an uncle came in. "Is it you guys with no electricity?"

The overjoyed Ye Xiu and Tang Rou nodded, and became little servants waiting on the electrician while he checked the problem. Meanwhile, the exasperated Chen Guo turned to Jing Jing, intending go upstairs and sleep. She finally noticed Cai Lin standing next to Jing Jing, and spoke, "hello, my name is Chen Guo, and I am the boss of this internet cafe. I apologise for the inconvenience caused just now."

"It's okay, it's not your fault. My name is Cai Lin, nice to meet you." Cai Lin replied, smiling sweetly.

"How do you know each other?"

Cai Lin and Jing Jing exchanged uncomfortable glances, before Cai Lin replied, "...she is my jie jie (older sister)."

Chen Guo's eyes widened.

Sensing Chen Guo's questioning gaze, Jing Jing rushed to explain lied, "Cai Lin was studying overseas, but we ran out of money, so she had to come back." Jing Jing bit on her lower lip, refusing to elaborate, her eyes staring worriedly at Cai Lin. She even clutched Cai Lin's hand to warn her not to speak.

Seeing their actions, Chen Guo's eyes misted over, her face full of understanding. When her father passed away, she had lost her only support. Sure, she had other relatives, but they were not close, so his death left her alone, both physically and emotionally. Unlike Cai Lin and Jing Jing, who at least have each other. As such, Chen Guo didn't prod any further and kindly allowed Cai Lin to stay as well.

However, her tiny apartment could not fit so many people, and thus, Chen Guo decided to look for housing nearby the next day. Cai Lin and Jing Jing refused, stating that they cannot take advantage of her generosity, and insisted on staying with them. _If we leave this place, then won't Ye Xiu forget about us?! What about the front row seat to the future drama?_ Jing Jing and Cai Lin thought in their hearts.

Seeing the situation, Tang Rou suggested Cai Lin can sleep in her bed, since she will most likely pull all-nighters in the near future. Jing Jing and Cai Lin glanced briefly at each other, knowing that sharing beds would be the most ideal option for now, and sincerely thanked Chen Guo and Tang Rou, before huddling together in a corner to plan for the future.


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: new chappie up~ Tbh, this was inspired by Alsheon's "If I Win" so it's not exactly relevant to the whole plot but it's fun no?

Hey Boss Moss, thanks so much for the constant reviews, really appreciate your time and effort in commenting on the story! Luv ya! As for whether she becomes a pro or not, ima reveal it down below, so chug on!

"Jing Jing, what are your plans for the future? I know that God Ye is currently busy in the tenth server, so what about you? Are you planning to become a pro player?"

"Hmmm, my plans are: enter Heavenly Domain ASAP, team up with Wei Chen, and steal wild bosses. Currently, Guo Guo is willing to help power level Green Fish, so I'm hoping to enter Heavenly Domain before the new year. As for becoming a pro player, why not? Unless God Ye refuses me outright, I don't mind being a reserve. Of course, I will try to help Chen Guo as well, it's not easy running a club. So I'll probably need to find some way to earn money…" Jing Jing trailed off, deep in thought.

"But didn't Wei Chen earn 20 million from Samsara?"

"True, but how long can 20 million last? Don't forget, All Star players like Ye Xiu and Su Mu Cheng earn a lot. Just look at Han Wen Qing! In his three year contract, his salary is 30 million RMB. Plus, Chen Guo will need to hire manpower to help run the club smoothly. If you want an estimate, just look at the football clubs. Though football and esports are different, operating costs should be proportionately similar."

"Uggg... just thinking about money makes my head hurt. But even if we go out and work, the money won't be much. And I'm underage."

"True. Hmmm... let's just leave the money matters alone for now. Let's focus on what we can do now, and do it well."

Cai Lin nodded, and they continued chatting, oblivious to their surroundings. From discussing their future plans, they drifted off to gossiping about the pro players, before squabbling about their favourite couples. Meanwhile, the tired electrician was busy fixing the internet issue, with Ye Xiu and Tang Rou assisting him. At 11pm, they decided to get some snacks and take a break.

Ye Xiu was exiting Happy when he noticed the two girls huddled in a corner, eagerly debating something. He walked towards them, intending to ask if they wanted any midnight snacks. As he neared, he could hear their conversation.

"I don't care! I don't care! HuangYe is my favourite CP!"

"No no no, Yu Wen Zhou and Huang Shao Tian are a better pair! Though I really like All Ye, my OTP is SuYe!"

Ye Xiu gawked, dropping the money in his hands. The sound of coins hitting the floor brought them out of their conversation, and they snapped their heads towards the source. All eyes met, both Jing Jing and Cai Lin rapidly turning red, embarrassed to have been overhead. Flustered, Jing Jing and Cai Lin dropped to their knees, picking up the notes and coins as fast as they could. Once done, they quickly shoved it into his hands, their ears burning and eyes staring at the ground.

Ye Xiu was the first to recover, coughing lightly twice. Summoning his thick skin, Ye Xiu said, "Jing Jing, Cai Lin, want some supper? I'm heading out to Macs."

Blinking, Jing Jing slowly replied, "eh? Err... please get me an extra large fries and nuggets."

"...me too."

Nodding his head, Ye Xiu started making his way out, and threw down a bomb, "Shao Tian is too noisy, we can never become a couple. Wen Zhou is the only one who can tolerate Shao Tian, so YuHuang is a better pair. As for Mu Cheng and I, we are more like family than lovers."

The bomb exploded.

"Nooooooo my HuangYe!" Cai Lin wailed.

"..." _I wasn't even referring to Mu Cheng...hold on...does that mean…_

"Wait so does that mean you like the the stoic bishie Zhou Ze Kai? Or would you prefer your eternal rival Han Wen Qing?" Jing Jing asked, her eyes glittering brightly.

Ye Xiu halted, realising that he had accidentally revealed himself. He turned back, wanting to cover up the mistake, but upon seeing Jing Jing's maniacal grin, he dropped that idea and fled.

"Hahahaha!" Jing Jing burst out into fits of laughter, her body shaking uncontrollably. Her loud laughter caused Tang Rou and the uncle to look over. Noticing their looks, Jing Jing covered her mouth and lowered her volume, but her body continued trembling from her hysterical giggles. Cai Lin was too upset bemoaning the sunken ship to even care.

(cough cough poor Ye Xiu...his two future teammates are eagerly plotting to match him up with his opponents...and I'm sorry Mu Cheng, even though I liked Mu Qiu x Ye Xiu...few people know your brother and his genius mind...so people automatically assume SuYe as… ChengYe... :/ #notmyfault)


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: Yay an update! I'm so sorry it took me longer than expected to come up with this chapter, but I hope it is funny enough to make up for the slow update.

When Ye Xiu returned, both Jing Jing and Cai Lin were sulking in their chairs, sitting far away from each other.

Releasing an exasperated sigh, he set the takeout down on the table, and called, "Jing Jing? Cai Lin? I've come back with the food."

They perked their heads up, and scooted over, though making sure to keep their distance. Tang Rou quickly divvied up the food according to their orders, and handed them out.

"Is there any sauce for dipping?" Jing Jing asked.

"Barbeque and garlic chili." Tang Rou answered.

"Both please!"

"Garlic chili? Is it nice?" Cai Lin wondered.

"...You can try some of mine, see if it's to your taste."

"...Okay."

Jing Jing and Cai Lin smiled softly, bringing their food over to the next table, the awkward atmosphere slowly dissipating.

 _Hmmm, looks like they will make up before the night is over._ Ye Xiu observed, before settling down to munch on his supper.

"How much money?" Tang Rou asked Ye Xiu.

"What?"

"Food." Tang Rou said.

Tuning out to their conversation, Jing Jing squeezed out the garlic chili, gesturing to Cai Lin, "here, try some."

Cai Lin took a fry and dipped it into the sauce, before she tentatively took a bite. "...It tastes pretty good, but it's not spicy enough. Back home I used to dip fries in sambal."

"Ohhh I love sambal too, especially sambal belachan."

"Sambal belachan?"

"It's a kind of spicy shrimp paste."

"Ohhh, we call it sambal terasi here."

Jing Jing and Cai Lin continued chatting, their bodies becoming more relaxed, their squabble water under the bridge. They were aware that the others had finished their food, but it still came as a surprise when the lights flickered back on.

"Oh! It's fixed?"

"Yup."

Seeing the electrician carry his bag and leave, both politely shouted, "thank you uncle!"

"Don't worry. It's my job." Smiling, he waved and left Happy.

"Are the both of you going to stay up tonight?"

"Nope, but we are going to stay up awhile more. Don't worry, we'll go to bed soon."

Tang Rou nodded, and kindly left the lights in their area on, reminding them to let her know when they are going to sleep. They thanked Tang Rou, and continued chatting softly.

"If I remember correctly, Liu Hao and gang will appear tonight." Jing Jing frowned, vaguely recalling the story.

Cai Lin frowned as well, displeased with the idea. She said, "Jing Jing, though I would love to see Ye Xiu put them in their places, I don't want that confrontation to occur. Is there some way we can chase them away without Ye Xiu making his appearance?"

"Hmmm… ... I think I have an idea…" Jing Jing smirked, an evil grin spreading across her face.

Cai Lin shivered. "Jing Jing, your smile reminds me of the clown from IT, that instant change is super frightening. But I like it! Count me in!"

Chuckling evilly, both girls huddled together as they concocted their master plan, keeping an eye out for their unsuspecting victims. Upon finalizing their plan, they hid in an obscure corner close to the reception. They waited patiently, but as time ticked by, they began feeling sleepy. It was already past one and no one had showed up. However, Jing Jing and Cai Lin refused to go to bed. To kill time, they started playing Glory, with Jing Jing focused on leveling and Cai Lin creating her character.

"Which server are you planning to go?" Jing Jing asked.

"Tenth server! I want a front row seat to the drama!" Cai Lin declared.

"Hahaha sure. Enjoy, and don't forget to share all the juicy gossip."

"Of course!" And Cai Lin went back to character creation.

 _ **A short while later...**_

"Jing Jing, should I name my character HuangYe or God Ye Is Uke?"

Jing Jing sweatdropped. "Shouldn't you choose a less...revealing name? After all, you will be bringing this character into the pro scene."

"...Right. Alsheon it is then." Cai Lin rapidly keyed in the name, and started playing Glory. She began bombarding Lord Grim and Soft Mist with her PMs, the former promptly refusing to play with her and no reply from the latter. He also said that she should level up Alsheon first, so that she can join them in setting dungeon records. Cai Lin felt a bit disappointed, but understood his reasoning and ran off to do her mains.

Tang Rou eventually replied Cai Lin, apologising for her late reply and explaining that she is rushing levels so as to join Lord Grim and his party tonight. She wished Cai Lin good luck in her grinding and hopes Alsheon quickly reach their levels. Cai Lin politely thanked Tang Rou, before plowing back into her quests.

Nearing 2 A.M., four men entered the internet cafe. Jing Jing and Cai Lin were so engrossed in Glory that they nearly missed the four men, but Cai Lin happened to look up at that moment and nudged Jing Jing. Surprised, Jing Jing spammed all her fingers on the keyboard, Green Fish contorting in the game. Thankfully, she was in an isolated area devoid of mobs, so she quickly hid her character in a nearby bush. Grinning wickedly, Jing Jing and Cai Lin smeared their fingers in chili sauce, and crept closer to the reception.

"You play pretty well."

"Thanks."

As Liu Hao was puzzling over Tang Rou's calm reply, Jing Jing and Cai Lin appeared, squealing, "Vice Captain Liu Hao!"

They pounced on him, eagerly shaking his hands, making sure to dirty his hands and sleeves with garlic chili. They grabbed his hands so hard that they started hurting, but he suppressed his irritation and flashed a charming smile (not really, it's his own opinion) at them. They squealed even more, their screams so high-pitched that everybody winced and covered their ears. Except Liu Hao. He got even more irritated, but he knew that he couldn't flare at them. Gritting his teeth, he suppressed his mounting anger and tried to speak. Before he could say a word, Jing Jing started rambling.

"Vice Captain Liu Hao, today's match versus 301 was so amazing! Sun Xiang's 1v3 really gave us hope! One Autumn Leaf was so mighty, so fierce, when he swept away 301's players! It's almost as if the Battle God is back! It's a pity about the team match though, if only Sun Xiang had broken in, we would have won! That despicable Xu Bin actually dared to bully Goddess Su! Vice Captain Liu Hao, please make sure to take revenge and win 301!"

Cai Lin chimed in, "Yea! Defeat 301, and show them who's boss! ...Vice Captain Liu Hao, are you drunk? Please don't beat yourself up over the loss, no one is to blame!"

Jing Jing continued, "Yea! Please don't drink because you are heartbroken over the loss! Drinking is not good for your health! …" (continues rambling non-stop)

 _Fuck, this girl is so noisy!_ Liu Hao, Wang Ze, Fang Feng Ran and Chen Ye Hui thought. Even Ye Xiu and Tang Rou were astonished at Jing Jing's lung capacity, but they kept silent and continued gaming as if nothing happened. After all, who would want to hang around a chatterbox?

Forcing his mouth into a ugly smile, Chen Ye Hui spoke up, "thank you so much for your support. However, it is really late and we need to go back and rest. We still need to train tomorrow morning."

Releasing Liu Hao's hands, Jing Jing and Cai Lin nodded fervently. "Of course of course!" They chorused. Jing Jing continued, "Training is very important! It…"

Without even waiting for Jing Jing to finish, they smiled weakly at the two girls before hurriedly escaping. Jing Jing even chased after them, protesting, "wait! I haven't finished yet!" which made them run even faster. Cai Lin bit her lip, struggling to control her laughter. Even Ye Xiu and Tang Rou were snickering quietly at the reception.

The moment Excellent Era's door banged shut, Jing Jing pursed her lips and silently entered Happy. Upon seeing Jing Jing's expression, Cai Lin broke out into uncontrollable laughter.

"Hahahaha! Jing Jing, that was AMAZING! Hahaha! Did you see their faces?! Hahaha! It's almost as if you are a female Huang Shao Tian! Hahahaha!"

Having exhausted her saliva for the past few minutes, Jing Jing simply rolled her eyes, ignoring the laughing trio. _Fck, just because Huang Shao Tian and I happened to have the same surname doesn't mean I love to talk! Do you know how torturous it was for me to ramble on and on?! Bah!_

Flushed with irritation, she strode back to her computer, quickly logged off Glory and headed upstairs to sleep.

P.S. Before anyone bash me for my obvious dislike of Liu Hao, let me explain myself. He is arrogant and full of himself, and when things go wrong he pushes the blame onto others instead of reflecting on his actions. Plus, he is a smooth talker, one who is all talk and no substance. There's nothing wrong with being good at talking, but when you do not have the skills to back up your exaggerations, you are being irresponsible, because your team will have to cover for you, especially your leader.


	10. Chapter 9

A/N: Sorry for the late update, super busy IRL. Alsheon, I doubt Ye Xiu would even allow her to use that name...he'd probably get her to switch to another account or something... :/ And besides, HuangYe would only work against Blue Rain, what about the other teams? Don't tell me they'll have to keep changing account cards? XD Besides, they can always trash talk by saying stuff like, Huang Shao Tian is so cute, trying to get the oblivious Ye Xiu's attention...while the other one pretending to console Huang Shao Tian by saying, don't worry, you've still got Yu Wen Zhou... *Mwahahaha* After all, I ship All Ye XDDDDD

As always, The King's Avatar does not belong to me. All rights to Butterfly Blue.

The next morning, when Chen Guo awoke, she saw Tang Rou go to bed without washing up, which greatly upset her. _She's wasting away her good looks!_ However, as Tang Rou was extremely exhausted, Chen Guo didn't mention anything and went downstairs. There, she saw Cai Lin and Ye Xiu engrossed in Glory, which caused Chen Guo to be even more displeased with Ye Xiu. In her opinion, his obsession with the game was excessive. If he wanted to ruin himself by playing too much, Chen Guo has nothing to say. But the worst thing was, he had to drag down Tang Rou and Cai Lin as well! She stood behind Ye Xiu, fuming.

As if feeling her wrath, Cai Lin and Ye Xiu turned around.

"Hey! Good morning boss… ..." Ye Xiu turned his head to say hi.

Cai Lin however, squeaked out an apology, and not bothering about her quest, swiftly logged out of Glory, pulled out her card, and escaped up the stairs. Seeing Cai Lin shoot up the stairs, Chen Guo's nagging died down in her throat, and she turned to Ye Xiu.

"Are you really planning on crazily playing like this every day?"

…

"Phew, luckily I ran fast, or else Guo Guo Jie will nag non-stop." Cai Lin thought to herself, pleased with her quick escape. However, as she opened the door to the apartment, she bumped into Jing Jing.

"Jing Jing?"

"Cai Lin? You didn't sleep the whole night?"

"Yea, I wanted to help God Ye set dungeon records, but he refused, saying I was too low-leveled." Cai Lin made a crying face.

"Awww. It's ok, go wash up and sleep, then you'll have energy to play tonight." Jing Jing consoled.

"Yea!" Cai Lin cheered, and headed for the bathroom. She paused, as if remembering something, and asked, "Jing Jing, where should I sleep? On the couch?"

"Don't, just sleep on Guo Guo's bed. I'm sure she'll be fine with it."

Yawning, Cai Lin nodded, heading off to brush her teeth.

Seeing that Cai Lin is settling in nicely, Jing Jing made her way down.

"Good morning Guo Guo! Good morning Brother Ye!"

"Good morning." Ye Xiu greeted simply, before turning his head back to the game.

"Morning Jing Jing!" Chen Guo replied. _Luckily Jing Jing is such a good girl, and will not be so addicted that she'll pull all nighters._

"Come, Ye Xiu had bought breakfast, let's eat while it's hot." Chen Guo hurriedly brought Jing Jing away, fearing that Ye Xiu's bad habits will influence Jing Jing too.

While eating their breakfast, Chen Guo reminded Jing Jing to watch over her little sister, and beware of falling under Ye Xiu's bad influence. Jing Jing smiled and nodded, understanding that Chen Guo meant well. However, Cai Lin is not her younger sister, so she can only remind Cai Lin, and wouldn't overstep her boundaries.

"Guo Guo, thank you so much for letting me know. However, I feel that Cai Lin is mature enough to be responsible for her own body, so if she wants to pull all-nighters, I will not force her to stop. Don't worry, I'll monitor her health, and ask Ye Xiu and Rou Rou to keep an eye out for her condition. I'll also make sure she drinks herbal tea regularly."

"Didn't your parents set curfew?" Chen Guo asked, before mentally slapping herself, remembering her own backstory for the two sisters.

Jing Jing flinched slightly, her face scrunching up in an uncomfortable expression. "... ...Weeeeeeell, our parents are pretty relaxed. They believe that we should learn to be responsible for ourselves and not be forced to obey instructions."

Rendered speechless, Chen Guo decided to leave them to their own devices. _Forget it...even their parents don't restrict them, who am I to do so?_

Seeing that Chen Guo had backed down, Jing Jing relaxed, settling down in front of a computer, and started playing Glory. Soon enough, Jing Jing was busy doing her mains, while reading through the beginner's guide. She was so absorbed in Glory that she ate a quick lunch before diving right back into her quests, which made Chen Guo regret her decision to introduce Jing Jing to Glory. After lunch, Ye Xiu went off to sleep, Jing Jing distractedly wishing Ye Xiu good night as she focused on killing the mobs.

…

The days passed by in a blur, Jing Jing, Cai Lin and Su Mu Cheng busy with leveling while Ye Xiu was busy coaching Tang Rou and Steamed Bun. At first, when Cai Lin found out that Ye Xiu was power leveling Mu Cheng and not her, she grumbled and griped about it to Jing Jing, but both knew that he already had a strategy, and that it is not feasible to change the plans just so that Cai Lin can be included.

On the day Ye Xiu and co. planned to set the Frost Forest record, Jing Jing and Cai Lin parked themselves beside Ye Xiu, and even brought popcorn along to enjoy the show. Cai Lin even logged on to Alsheon, eager to watch the live reactions in server ten. Ye Xiu was exasperated. "Why are the both of you watching me play? Don't you know that you are giving me a lot of stress?"

"Aww come on Brother Ye we wanna see history in the making!" Cai Lin whined, and added, "it's not fair you helped Cleansing Mist level but not me, so why can't you at least let me watch?" Cai Lin showed him her puppy eyes, pitifully begging him to agree.

Ye Xiu relented, grudgingly allowing them to watch. They cheered, smiles lighting up their faces as they crowded around Cai Lin's screen, watching Scooby Doo while they wait for midnight. Seeing their delighted expressions, the corners of his lips curled upwards, eyes betraying his fondness for the two younger girls. _They do act like Mu Cheng sometimes, whining and pouting to get their way. Haha, guess I'm getting old._

Nearing 12 A.M., they stopped their video, and positioned themselves diagonally behind Ye Xiu, before opening the tub of popcorn Jing Jing bought. Ye Xiu stood up, shouting, "everyone's fine? If you have something to say, say it now! I'm going to be busy for a bit."

Jing Jing and Cai Lin chuckled, amused by his speech. _Well, let's just hope that no one calls for Brother Ye while they set the record._ At 12 o'clock sharp, Ye Xiu and co. entered the dungeon. As the party steamrolled through the dungeon using One Wave Push, Jing Jing and Cai Lin got dizzy from watching Ye Xiu's screen.

 _He's looking around so much...how can he not get dizzy? Ugg…_ Shaking her head vigorously, Jing Jing refocused her attention on the monitor, her gaze sharp and determined. Cai Lin was equally confused by Ye Xiu's rapidly changing screen, so she focused her attention on the chat box instead.

Suddenly, both girls saw Ye Xiu hastily PM Mu Cheng, "Don't use Delivery Gun!"

"What?"

"You'll expose yourself! You idiot!"

Jing Jing and Cai Lin grinned at each other, realising that Crowd Lover must have seen Su Mu Cheng's Delivery Gun. Oh, what they wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall and see his reactions. Sadly, they could only settle for what they can get.

When Ye Xiu and co. broke the Frost Forest dungeon record, all hell broke loose. Jing Jing and Cai Lin cackled maniacally, delighted by all the reactions. There were cries of "WTF?!" "That's impossible!" from all the veteran players. Meanwhile, the newbies were like, "LOL, Lord Grim strikes again!" "Tsk tsk why are they making so much fuss? It's just another record."

Delighted, Ye Xiu wanted to say a few words to his teammates, but got stopped by two customers ordering colas. Therefore, he had no choice but to get up and deliver the drinks.

At that time, Liu Hao, who was watching television in his room, received a call from Chen Ye Hui, Excellent Dynasty's guild leader. His good mood soured upon hearing about the unspecialised character, Lord Grim. He strongly suspected that Ye Qiu is the player behind Lord Grim, but they currently do not know of his whereabouts and had no way of checking. As such, he asked Chen Ye Hui for a low-leveled account to spy on Lord Grim.


	11. Chapter 10

Yay? It's a new chappie! (I'm so sorry it's so short and boring T^T...) And I'm super sad! T^T Why do I only see so few of us writing TKA fanfics?! I need more fics! I don't care if it's my cup of tea or not, but the lack of stories is truly heartbreaking. So please, please somebody, anybody, write! (goes down on my knees to beg)

Also, a HUGE THANK YOU to all who have been waiting patiently for my new chapters, I truly apologise for the late update, but I've been super busy recently, working 12h a day and whatnot, so I try to write whenever I can. Thankfully, hell's over, so I'm gearing up to write again! As always, a reminder that TKA does not belong to me. I only own my own OCs.

As the days went by, Cai Lin slowly grinded her levels, but was not fast enough to catch up with Lord Grim and co. Plus, she did not know which class to choose from, hence, deciding to ask Ye Xiu for advice.

"… ...What class do you want to play?" _...Dang it, do I look like a consultant? Why can't the both of you just choose a class you like?_

"Ehehe...I want to become a pro player, so I'm thinking of playing the class I'm best at." Cai Lin smiled sheepishly.

The right corner of Ye Xiu's lips curled upwards, a spark of interest in his eyes. "Alright then. Show me what you've got."

Nodding determinedly, Cai Lin sat down and they began to PK.

During this period of time, Jing Jing went down to the bank outlet, and tried to recover her money. To Jing Jing's disappointment, her bank accounts did not exist in this world. _Hahaha looks like I'm broke here… ...though I guess it's kinda expected? Wait a minute… ... does this mean that Cai Lin and I don't have official IDs here?! Crap, where's our embassies… ...gah the closest is in Shanghai?!_ Jing Jing rolled her eyes, throwing her hands up in the air, gathering quite a bit of attention. _Oops…_ Jing Jing quickly settled down, pretending that nothing happened. She kept her eyes glued to her phone, occasionally sneaking peeks through the corners of her eyes until the strangers around her stopped staring.

 _Hmmm...how can we get to Shanghai? Plane is definitely impossible...how about train?_ Sighing, Jing Jing searched the internet. _No way...you need your passport to buy train tickets as well?! What about bus?! … ... Hahaha we're goners. Uggggg...I think I'd better talk to Cai Lin, hopefully she has some ideas._ Worried, Jing Jing left the bank, heading back to Happy Internet Cafe.

…

After fighting several rounds in the Arena with Cai Lin, Ye Xiu's eyes shone brightly. _Cai Lin has a lot of potential too! Should I say like jie jie like mei mei?_ (1) _Don't tell me the reason why I meet so many talented newbies is because Excellent Era kicked me out?_ When that thought crossed his mind, he did not know whether to laugh or cry.

"Brother Ye?"

Ye Xiu snapped back to attention at Cai Lin's voice.

"How did I do?" Cai Lin looked expectantly at Ye Xiu, her eyes a mix of hope and nervousness.

"You have a lot of potential, just like your sister. Quick hand speed, clear intentions, plus your youth gives you an advantage. Why not try a Berserker? Especially since you prefer to go all out, and you have a straightforward fighting style."

Cai Lin's eyes gleamed. "Of course Brother Ye!" She smiled and eagerly went off to change her class. "Oh? Jing Jing Jie, welcome back!"

"I'm back~" Jing Jing sighed, plodding into Happy. Cai Lin gave Jing Jing a quizzical look, to which Jing Jing replied with her eyes, _I'll explain later_. Nodding, Cai Lin went back into her game.

That night, Jing Jing dragged Cai Lin out for an after dinner stroll, promising Chen Guo to not stay out too late. Jing Jing brought Cai Lin to the nearby West Lake, making sure to keep an eye out for passers-by. Seating down at one of the park benches, Jing Jing motioned Cai Lin to come closer before sharing the news. "Cai Lin, I went to the bank today, and they told me that my accounts don't exist. Most likely, our IDs don't exist here either, but we can't head down to our embassies to check."

"Where are they?"

"Shanghai, but all travel tickets require our passports."

"Oh no, does that mean we are stuck here?"

"I guess so. Worst case scenario, I'll call the embassy and report a lost passport, then see if my ID works."

"That's pretty risky Jing Jing, and the chances of success are pretty low. … … Besides, it won't work for me. I haven't gotten my identification card yet."

"Fck!"

"Calm down Jing Jing." Cai Lin sighed, gently patting Jing Jing's back. "Guess we'll have to wait and see. Hopefully a miracle will happen and the problem will solve itself."

"I hope so too. If not, we can't even become pro players." Jing Jing stood up, asking, "shall we go back?"

Nodding gently, Cai Lin got up and they strolled back to Happy Internet Cafe, lost in their own thoughts.

(1) Like jie jie like mei mei(daughter/son) - jie jie means older sister, mei mei means younger sister, it's a wordplay on the phrase like mother/father like daughter/son XD


	12. Chapter 11

A/N: Thank you so much for all your support! As thanks, I present to you an extra long chappie! In response to previous reviews made (I know I PM'ed yall, but I'll just rewrite my replies here again)

Dear KabeHinate, you mentioned: why did Chen Guo easily let Jing Jing freeload? Well, she pitied Jing Jing and Cai Lin because she thought they were like her - orphans. Thus, she wanted to give them a helping hand, just like how she helped Ye Xiu. Plus, she is also quite lonely, even with Tang Rou. More details in my PM.

Dear ScarletShad0w, Ye Xiu exposed himself in chpt 7, when Jing Jing and Cai Lin were talking about their ships. YX never made it a point to hide his identity after retiring, and forgot that he only told Chen Guo. Thus, in his haste, he exposed himself. And yes, you brought up a great point about Jing Jing knowing all the pros' names despite being a new fan. Don't worry, I'll try to fix it ASAP. As for Shao Tian and Jing Jing being a couple? *LE GASP* As a fujoshi, how can I have my own OCs pair up with any of the pro players?! Though I have to admit, it's super interesting to see what yall think of my OCs, and who they can pair up with.

Dear Cai Lin, don't worry. It came as a shock to me too when I discovered that my story didn't move up after I updated it. But oh wells, no biggie :)

So a quick reminder to all readers, be sure to read chapter 10! (If you haven't already) As always, feel free to point out any mistakes I made, I'd greatly appreciate it. Here's hoping that my story will not end up like Swiss Cheese - riddled with holes. :/

* * *

Several days later, Jing Jing saw the staff of Happy Internet Cafe setting up a huge screen and projector.

"Oh? Whose match tonight?"

"Excellent Era vs Blue Rain."

 _Does this mean Huang Shao Tian is dropping by tonight?!_ Jing Jing smiled brilliantly, her eyes sparkling eagerly.

"How come I didn't see you so excited for the previous match?! Wait, don't tell me you have a crush on Huang Shao Tian?! " Chen Guo exclaimed, her eyes full of disbelief at Jing Jing's supposed betrayal. _Damn! I was hoping to bring Jing Jing under the banner of Excellent Era, don't tell me she's already fallen for Huang Shao Tian! I should have known not to put up the Sword Saint's posters!_

Jing Jing sweatdropped. _Since when?! I just can't wait to see Huang Shao Tian and Brother Ye interacting up close and personal!_ Jing Jing vigorously shook her head. "No no no of course not. I just wanna see Excellent Era win beautifully against a strong opponent." She continued cajoling Chen Guo, and managed to convince the latter that she is just eager to watch the match.

Nodding smugly, Chen Guo started extolling the strengths of Excellent Era, intent on converting Jing Jing into an Excellent Era fan. Jing Jing listened quietly, nodding at the appropriate moments and agreeing with Chen Guo's opinions. After all, Chen Guo will end up disliking Excellent Era when she discovers the truth, so why not let her stay happy and blissfully ignorant for awhile more?

Later on in the evening, when Cai Lin woke up, Jing Jing eagerly whispered to her that Huang Shao Tian will be popping by tonight to help Ye Xiu set Boneyard's record, which led to another round of hushed squeals. Thankfully, Chen Guo was too busy to notice Cai Lin's excitement, or else she might reconsider her decisions to keep Huang Shao Tian's posters up. Ye Xiu smiled wistfully at their behaviour, recalling how close he and Ye Qiu were back in their childhood, but quickly squashed that memory and continued eating his dinner. At 8.30pm sharp, the match started.

…

"Fuck that piece of shit!" Chen Guo raged, along with other fans in Happy Internet Cafe. For this match, it was clear that Excellent Era had the home advantage, and would have won beautifully if Liu Hao had not made so many noobish mistakes. Many of the enraged fans left, too disappointed to play Glory, and some had even ran over to Club Excellent Era to protest. Jing Jing and Cai Lin internally sneered at Liu Hao, scorning him for his unprofessionalism. _You reap what you sow_ , _you should have listened to Brother Ye's teachings. Now, your idiocy is laid out for the whole world to see._

Chen Guo turned to Jing Jing and Cai Lin, dying to rant her frustrations. Instead of seeing two angry girls, Jing Jing and Cai Lin had cold looks on their faces.

"You're not angry at Liu Hao?" Chen Guo said incredulously.

"Of course we are. But Liu Hao's not worth our anger. It will only make us age faster." Cai Lin disdained, flicking a stray lock of hair behind her shoulder.

Jing Jing nodded her head in agreement. "His idiotic performance just proves how unprofessional he is. Us fans screaming and raging at him isn't gonna turn back time and give him a do-over." Jing Jing shrugged, her eyes full of contempt. "So, why bother?"

"..." Chen Guo was rendered speechless by their answer. The fans' anger was proof that they cared, that they wanted Excellent Era to perform well. However, Jing Jing and Cai Lin kept their cool, making Chen Guo feel a bit foolish for her temper.

Jing Jing's eyes softened, and she smiled gently at Chen Guo. "But you know, not everyone thinks like Cai Lin and I. Our logical thinking is considered cold-blooded and cruel, while passionate fans like you are a great source of motivation."

"Mm hmm. In fact, I think fans who strongly express their love and support remind the pro players that they are not alone, that they have supporters who agree with the path they have chosen." Cai Lin added, and briefly hugged Chen Guo. "Guo Guo Jie, wanna get some supper and forget all about that idiot? We don't want him to ruin your night."

"Nah, I don't wanna gain weight, but thank you for trying to cheer me up."

"No problem!" Jing Jing and Cai Lin chorused, bringing a soft smile to her face. Nearby, Tang Rou kept an eye on the trio, worried about Chen Guo. After their conversation, Tang Rou chatted with Chen Guo for a bit, managing to cheer her up by the time she went upstairs to sleep.

"When are we going to break another record?" Tang Rou asked Ye Xiu.

"Tonight!" Ye Xiu said.

"Tonight? What dungeon?"

"Boneyard!" Ye Xiu said.

"Boneyard, that dungeon….. Didn't you say we were close enough?"

"Yesterday was close enough. But who knows about today?" Ye Xiu laughed.

Jing Jing and Cai Lin, who had been whispering between themselves for the past several minutes, suddenly started playing scissors-paper-stone. Jing Jing lost, and groaned, before turning to Ye Xiu and Tang Rou. "Brother Ye, Rou Rou, want some supper? I'm heading out to buy Macs."

"No thank you." Tang Rou replied.

"Yea sure, fries and nuggets please. And coke. Wait, get two sets."

Jing Jing nodded, and left with some cash. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Fifteen minutes later, Jing Jing returned with her hands full, and set down Ye Xiu's orders on the counter. Luckily, there was a lot less customers that night, and as they were not close to Jing Jing, they didn't complain, but their eyes kept going back to the fries, drooling at the sight and smell of food.

She brought hers and Cai Lin's shares to their usual corner, close to but hidden from the counter. Digging into their food, they gossiped about Ye Xiu and his theoretical relationships with other pro players. Tang Rou could only shake her head and laugh silently, all the while playing on Soft Mist.

Nearing twelve midnight, a sneaky figure made his way to Ye Xiu. Cai Lin nudged Jing Jing, mouthing, Huang Shao Tian. Jing Jing nodded, shutting down her computer, and calmly walked up to the counter.

"Why do you have to be so hard on yourself? It's not like your skill dropped after retiring, no? Oh and speaking of that, why'd you suddenly retire?"

"First help me set this record and then we'll chat." Ye Xiu said.

Jing Jing grinned as she calmly walked over to Ye Xiu. Yawning, Jing Jing said, "good night Brother Ye -" she cut off her words, staring suspiciously at the hooded figure.

Huang Shao Tian grimaced, thinking, _fuck! Busted!_ and turned to flee. Jing Jing reached out, grabbing his hoodie and exposing his yellow hair. Jing Jing hissed, "Brother Ye, is this hoodlum trying to steal from us? Or is he trying to use our computers for free? Or-"

"Calm down Little Jing, he's my friend. I asked him to come over tonight."

"Oh." Jing Jing released her hold, and Huang Shao Tian quickly flipped the hood back over his head. Smiling sheepishly, Jing Jing apologised, "I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were friends with Brother Ye." Turning to Ye Xiu, she added, "Brother Ye, let me cover your shift. Go accompany your friend. I'm sure you have a lot to catch up on." Smiling sweetly, Jing Jing quickly went behind the counter, hustling Ye Xiu out of his seat.

"Okay okay, just let me log out first." Ye Xiu relented, logging out of the game. He grabbed the already cold food, and brought Huang Shao Tian over to Area A. Halfway there, they realised that Area A was so dark that they could not find the computer's power button, and Ye Xiu had to run back to the counter for a flashlight. Upon seeing Ye Xiu's return, Jing Jing raised her eyebrow, smirking knowingly at Ye Xiu. A cold shiver ran down Ye Xiu's spine, his intuition ringing alarm bells, but he didn't stop to clarify anything, and hurriedly grabbed the flashlight, before making his hasty escape.

"Hahahahaha" Jing Jing giggled, unable to control herself. She nodded in Cai Lin's direction, and Cai Lin scooted over, having watched the whole scene with glee.

"Oh my gosh Jing Jing! Huang Shao Tian! And Ye Xiu! My HuangYe! My OTP!" Cai Lin squealed.

"Calm down girl." Jing Jing chuckled, patting Cai Lin on her back. Rubbing her hands together, Jing Jing added, "I know of a way we can *ahem* create some smoke." (1)

Cai Lin's smile widened. "Count me in."

Meanwhile, Huang Shao Tian and Ye Xiu have found their computers, and logged in to Glory. While the game booted up, Huang Shao Tian nibbled on a cold fry, complaining, "fuck! Why is my food so cold! Don't you at least have the decency to keep it warm or something?! I get a couple hundred thousand for every match, this is what I get?!"

"It would have been piping hot if you haven't run away just now."

"Fuck! How was I supposed to know that girl wasn't a fan?! I'm not like you, I have a lot of fans."

"I have many fans too, but I'm smart enough to not show my face." Ye Xiu replied, lighting up a cigarette.

"...Fuck!"

"Hurry up and eat, it's almost midnight." Ye Xiu grabbed a fry and stuffed it in Huang Shao Tian's mouth.

"Old Ye! I can feed myself!"

"Then hurry up."

Mumbling to himself, Huang Shao Tian inhaled his food, all the while chattering non-stop. _Jing Jing you idiot! Why did you have to let us 'catch up'?! He's doing a monologue!_ Ye Xiu groaned internally, praying that the clock went faster.

...

At 12 A.M. sharp, Lord Grim and co. gathered outside Boneyard, whereby Lord Grim gave Flowing Tree a Vampiric Lightsaber. From Soft Mist's computer came Jing Jing's and Cai Lin's excited chatter, to which Ye Xiu said, "Little Jing, Little Lin, don't tell me no one's at the reception right now?" _Yes! Let me go back to my job!_ Ye Xiu thought. "Give me a minute, I'll go back to the counter and do my shift."

Jing Jing's and Cai Lin's voices rang out in unison, "No need Brother Ye, the three of us are sitting at the counter right now!" "Don't worry Brother Ye, we've got your back! Enjoy your date!"

Tang Rou and Su Mu Cheng burst out into giggles, while Steamed Bun Invasion exclaimed, "Boss, you have a girlfriend? Hello, I'm Boss's underling, you can call me Steamed Bun!"

Jing Jing, Cai Lin, Tang Rou and Su Mu Cheng laughed even more uncontrollably. Huang Shao Tian raged. "No no no I'm not his girlfriend fuck fuck fuck don't sully my good name!"

Ye Xiu hurriedly explained, "Little Lin, stop joking around. Steamed Bun, Flowing Tree is an expert I brought along to help us clear Boneyard."

"Oh, who is he?" Su Mu Cheng asked. Normally, Su Mu Cheng would love to joke at Ye Xiu's expense, but in front of others, she would always be on his side.

"Shao Tian."

"Fuck, don't reveal my identity!"

"Oh, your friend?" Tang Rou said.

"Oh, that dude wearing a hoodie?" Jing Jing asked.

"Yeah." Ye Xiu replied.

"Don't reveal my identity? I like secrets, are you a Scorpio?" Steamed Bun Invasion said.

"Eh? You mean the guy sitting next to Brother Ye alone in Area A?" Cai Lin piped up.

Huang Shao Tian nearly spat out his coke. Tang Rou, Su Mu Cheng and Jing Jing chuckled. Ye Xiu rolled his eyes, exasperated. "Little Lin, what are you thinking right now?"

"What? Why? I'm just stating a fact." Cai Lin retorted sulkily.

Ye Xiu rolled his eyes again. "Little Lin, make sure to keep quiet. I need to explain the dungeon run. Little Jing, please keep an eye on her."

"Okay. Rou Rou, I think you'd better put on your headphones. We'll keep quiet." Jing Jing promised, and quietly high fived Cai Lin behind Tang Rou's back. They settled down on Tang Rou's left and right, silently watching the dungeon run.

Upon setting the record, Tang Rou yelled, "I'm going to get water" and immediately removed her headphones. She reclined in her chair for a moment, before standing up and ask, "do either of you want anything to drink?"

Both girls shook their head. "He was that bad huh." Jing Jing commented.

Tang Rou nodded her head. "I'll be right back," and off she went.

"How long more do you think it'll take for Brother Ye to drive him out?" Cai Lin asked.

"Five minutes?"

"... ...I think so too."

"Brother Ye? What are you doing out here?" Cai Lin called out.

"Throw trash. You know, it is our duty as staff here to maintain cleanliness in the cafe."

Jing Jing and Cai Lin chortled. "Riiiiiiight. It's not because you wanted to get away from your chatterbox, right?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Ye Xiu deadpanned.

Cai Lin squealed excitedly, her mouth split into a wide grin. "YES! The ship has sailed!" (2)

" ...Wait, he's not mine, he's Yu Wen Zhou's." Ye Xiu corrected.

"Bwahahaha!" Tears streamed down Jing Jing's face. Cai Lin, of course, pouted unhappily. "Don't go around dashing people's dreams Brother Ye. What goes around comes around."

Ye Xiu just smirked, gently ruffling Cai Lin's hair. "...Do either of you mind if I smoke here?"

"Nah, take a break. It's been hard on you." Jing Jing patted his back understandingly. Cai Lin wanted to chase Ye Xiu back to Huang Shao Tian, feeling that he should not leave Huang Shao Tian alone in that dark, isolated corner. However, she understood that his chatter can drive people crazy, so she opted to stay quiet. Tang Rou soon came back with her water, and the two of them loitered around the counter, none willing to face Huang Shao Tian immediately.

Seeing Tang Rou and Ye Xiu so reluctant to go back to Glory, Cai Lin reminded Ye Xiu that Huang Shao Tian was still waiting for him in that dark corner. Sighing, Ye Xiu plodded back to his seat.

"Rou Rou, don't you want to continue playing Glory?" Jing Jing asked.

"I do, but…" Tang Rou hesitated.

"Why not ask if they still plan to run the dungeon? If not, you can go Arena or something." Jing Jing suggested.

Tang Rou nodded, and sat down again, putting on her headphones. Upon hearing that they do not need to run the dungeon anymore, Tang Rou rushed off to do her quests.

"Jing Jing Jie, you're not sleeping?"

"Nah, I'm covering for Brother Ye. Once he comes back, I'll go off to sleep."

"It's okay Jing Jing Jie, Rou Rou Jie and I can cover until Brother Ye is back. Besides, you never know how long they're gonna take. I think they have a lot to catch up on." Cai Lin's eyes sparkled mischievously.

"I don't think they will take that long." Tang Rou chuckled. "Flowing Tree is a bit too chatty."

"Rou Rou, what Cai Lin is trying to hint is that they may end up getting cozy and...physical. Two guys sitting alone in a dark, quiet corner...you can't help but think that way. It's a good place to… workout." She shot Tang Rou a knowing smirk.

"Jing Jing Jie you know me so well." Cai Lin agreed, nodding her head vigorously.

"... …" _How did education go so wrong? Kids these days…_ Ye Xiu paused, mourning the loss of innocence.

"... …" Rendered speechless, Huang Shao Tian turned to stare at the street outside.

"... ...oh, hi, Brother Ye." Jing Jing smiled weakly. Tang Rou kept a calm facade, and continued gaming as if nothing happened. Cai Lin smiled sheepishly, looking down at her lap, playing with her fingers.

Ye Xiu cleared his throat. "Little Jing, I'm back now, you can go off to sleep. It's been a long day for you. Little Lin, we don't need so many people at the counter, why not you and Little Tang go back to your usual corner?"

Seeing that Ye Xiu is giving them handy excuses, all three girls seized the chance and rapidly cleared out; Tang Rou logging out of Glory while Cai Lin waited, and Jing Jing wishing them goodnight. Soon, the reception was left with only Huang Shao Tian and Ye Xiu. Huang Shao Tian turned back to look at Ye Xiu, his expression serious. "You have to come back."

"Who need you say that."

"If you have any difficulties, contact me." Huang Shao Tian said earnestly.

"Give me back my Vampiric Lightsaber and the fee for two hours of Internet." Ye Xiu said.

"…."

"I'll give you the Vampiric Lightsaber later!" Huang Shao Tian slapped down ten bucks onto the reception desk. He turned around and faded into the night.

Ye Xiu calmly logged back onto the game.

"Flowing Tree went off?" Tang Rou messaged.

"Yeah."

"Dungeon?" Tang Rou asked.

Ye Xiu laughed. He immediately gathered everyone and ran to the dungeon.

(1) Create some smoke - This is something I came up with. It originates from the phrase 'where there's smoke there's fire', which means even if it's a rumor, there's got to be some truth in it. Thus, create smoke can be understood as: even if there's nothing we can fake a rumor based on their interactions.

(2) The ship has sailed - Okay, before anyone complains that I'm using the phrase wrongly, nope, I didn't. Its original meaning: an opportunity that is lost or it's too late to change. But, the context of this fanfic is that Cai Lin is imagining that Huang Shao Tian and Ye Xiu are in a relation **ship** , so when Ye Xiu 'confirmed' that he and Huang Shao Tian are dating, she says 'the ship has sailed'.


	13. Chapter 12

A/N: I tried to make Ye Xiu more taunting, but it still feels a bit...weird. Any suggestions?

Oh, and Merry Christmas everyone~ Enjoy the holiday~

* * *

"Brother Ye! Brother Ye! I've reached level 25!" Cai Lin crowed eagerly. "Now can I play with you and Rou Rou Jie?"

"Alright Little Lin, come meet us at Boneyard." Ye Xiu agreed, and sent her the coordinates.

"Yea!" Cai Lin cheered, rapidly controlling Alsheon to meet up with Ye Xiu and co.

"Oh, did something good happen?" Jing Jing asked distractedly.

"Yup! I can finally play together with Brother Ye and Rou Rou Jie!"

"That's great." Jing Jing replied, eyes glued to her screen.

"Jing Jing Jie what are you doing now?" Cai Lin asked, her eyes drifting to Jing Jing's monitor.

"Heavenly Domain Challenge."

"So fast?" Cai Lin gawked.

"Yup, I've been carrying her. Besides, she's just reached level 50, and wanted to give it a shot." Chen Guo explained.

"What if she died? Won't her character lose experience?" Cai Lin asked, concerned.

Chen Guo laughed gaily. "No they don't. If they did, Glory would have been shut down already."

Cai Lin nodded her head, and turned back to her screen. "Good luck Jing Jing Jie!"

"Thank you," Jing Jing said and continued tapping away, Green Fish hopping agilely from one rock to the other. _Almost there…_ "Shit!" Green Fish missed the next rock and fell into the creek.

"Ahhh you were so close!" Chen Guo sighed.

"No worries, I'll just try again." Jing Jing smiled, and restarted jumping. Halfway through the quest, Jing Jing heard Cai Lin exclaim, "yea! How dare you try to PK us!"

Distracted, Jing Jing tapped the wrong key, sending Green Fish into the water. She and Chen Guo peeked at Cai Lin's screen, and saw Alsheon, Steamed Bun Invasion and Soft Mist attacking Ashen Moon. _Oh? Who's that? Hmm…_ Jing Jing wondered, and tried to recall the storyline. _Ah! Team Tiny Herb! This must be Qiao Yi Fan!_

"Haha." Chen Guo laughed, delighted that Alsheon and co. bullied Ashen Moon, who had failed to PK Lord Grim. Despite their combined efforts, they were unable to quickly kill off Ashen Moon, and he escaped when a witch attacked Soft Mist and Steamed Bun.

"Too bad y'all didn't manage to kill him before he escaped." Chen Guo sighed, before leaning back and stretched. "Jing Jing, are you gonna continue with your Challenge?"

"Mmm… ...maybe not. Let's continue dungeoning, I'll try it again in the future."

"Okay." Chen Guo nodded her head, and Jing Jing exited the dungeon instance, following Chasing Haze to another five man dungeon.

As Chasing Haze and Green Fish steamrolled through the dungeon, Jing Jing was vaguely aware that Cai Lin's tapping became faster and more violent. She quickly snuck a peek at Cai Lin's screen, and saw her attacking three players together with Soft Mist, Steamed Bun and Sleeping Moon. _Hmmm...it must be Tiny Herb again. Oh well, it's not like I can help her._ Shrugging nonchalantly, Jing Jing pushed that thought to the back of her mind and calmly continued dungeoning.

Nearing 11 P.M., Chen Guo and Jing Jing logged off Glory, bading Cai Lin, Tang Rou and Ye Xiu goodnight before heading upstairs to sleep.

...

The next day, as Chen Guo had some cafe matters to settle, she was unable to continue power leveling Jing Jing. Jing Jing nodded understandingly, and worked on her quests, occasionally doing her Heavenly Domain Challenge. Despite slaving over Glory, Jing Jing made sure to take sufficient breaks, in addition to meal times and toilet breaks.

Around 8 P.M., Cai Lin and Tang Rou woke up, and came downstairs to eat dinner.

"Good evening Jing Jing Jie!" Cai Lin greeted.

"Good evening Lin Lin, Rou Rou." Jing Jing replied with a cheerful grin.

"Good evening." Tang Rou nodded, smiling warmly.

Having finished her dinner, Jing Jing nibbled on a slice of apple, and listened attentively to Cai Lin's rendition of last night's fight with Tiny Herb. Tang Rou sat beside them, quietly eating her rice, occasionally adding a comment or two.

Suddenly, Ye Xiu came up to Tang Rou, and asked to borrow Soft Mist. Tang Rou nodded, passing him her card. Jing Jing and Cai Lin followed Ye Xiu back to his computer, watching him log in to Glory and maneuver Soft Mist to where Tiny Herb was. Soft Mist soon reached the clay rooms, and all four could see the eleven players from Tiny Herb.

"Hey, hey. What BOSS? Should you be talking like that?" Ye Xiu said.

Jing Jing and Cai Lin burst into muffled giggles, while Tang Rou gave them a confused look. Jing Jing quietly explained that someone has called Ye Xiu a BOSS, so he was unhappy and throwing a tantrum. Tang Rou chuckled.

"Hey hey Little Jing don't think I didn't hear you. BOSS? Ha. If I became one, Glory would have shut down years ago. They should be thanking me that I didn't become one."

Team Tiny Herb sweatdropped. _This taunting tone...definitely Ye Xiu._ Wang Jie Xi thought.

"Who are these guys? Why do they keep coming back?" Tang Rou asked. Obviously, Tang Rou had recognised the five players from last night, and saw that they had called for more people to take revenge.

"They must be Brother Ye's admirers. Upset that he rejected them, they teamed up to PK him." Cai Lin cut in, her eyes sparkling brightly.

"You shouldn't watch so many dramas Little Lin, they're not good for you. If they were my admirers, they would have kowtowed to me and gifted me with rare materials on a silver platter."

 _Such arrogance! Not even Captain dares to claim that! Besides, whoever heard of fans gifting their idols in-game materials?_

"Battle Mage." Wang Jiexi's Fiery Blaze walked up and said.

"Yup!" Ye Xiu said.

"Xiao Yun, you go up." Wang Jiexi called for him.

"Ah?" Xiao Yun stared blankly.

"Don't be nervous. Don't forget, you're one of the members of a champion team!" Wang Jiexi said.

Meanwhile, Ye Xiu covered his mike and asked Tang Rou, "Little Tang, wanna PK against some experts?"

Tang Rou nodded, and put down her bowl of rice, stepping forward to claim her place. Upon noticing Cloudy Heavens, Ye Xiu added more fuel to the fire before passing the controls to her.

"Ha ha, so it's you!" Ye Xiu laughed.

"Do you need a few Chasers first?"

Having finished his trash talk, Ye Xiu removed the headset and stood up. Tang Rou sat down, and put on the headset.

The two battle mages clashed, and exchanged blows. When Soft Mist crashed to the ground, Ye Xiu tapped Tang Rou, saying, "my turn". Both quickly swapped positions, and Ye Xiu began his lesson.

"See, it's best to use a few normal attacks between skills in order to change up your tempo. Blah blah blah…(omitted the rest)"

"Oh…" Tang Rou, Jing Jing and Cai Lin listened attentively, nodding their heads like a bunch of obedient students. Meanwhile, Xiao Yun was furious and miserable, realising that he was used as a teaching dummy. Sighing, Wang Jie Xi called Xiao Yun to withdraw.

As Cloudy Heavens withdrew from battle, Ye Xiu stopped fighting as well. During the pause, Cai Lin piped up. "Brother Ye! Brother Ye! Can I go up and fight too?"

"Sure, as long as you don't give up after suffering consecutive defeats."

Cai Lin nodded determinedly. _Of course! They are pro players, it's normal for newbies like me to get wrecked. It's a good training opportunity!_

"Hey, hey!"

"?" All three girls looked at Ye Xiu in confusion.

"Aren't we here to compare notes? Let's go to the Arena." Ye Xiu said.

"It looks like you have someone next to you who also needs guidance?" Wang Jiexi said.

"Yup! But I don't have as many people as you do."

"What type of person?"

"Little sisters from the Internet Cafe." Ye Xiu answered.

Cai Lin whispered, "Jing Jing Jie it's such a pity you are in the fifth server. Or else you could have joined us."

Jing Jing smiled, unconcerned. "It's okay. I'd rather reach Heavenly Domain earlier."

"Are you sure Little Jing? Training partners like them are hard to come by."

Returning Soft Mist to Tang Rou, Ye Xiu logged in to Lord Grim, and walked out of the clay room.

"I don't have an account in server ten. Plus, I doubt they'd be willing to come fight me with level 50 characters in the Arena, then switch to these low leveled accounts to fight you." Jing Jing reasoned.

"You can use Alsheon..." Cai Lin offered.

"Thank you, but it's okay. I'm only familiar with Sharpshooter. Jiayou!" (1)

"Un!" Cai Lin said, and ran off to her computer next to Tang Rou. Jing Jing listened to Ye Xiu trash talk for awhile, before going over to Cai Lin's and Tang Rou's corner.

Upon logging in, Cai Lin quickly entered the Arena and joined up with the rest. She heard Ye Xiu ask, "can I use my unspecialised?"

Silence descended. It was broken by Wang Jie Xi, who said, "what are you guys worrying about? If you can't get over it, then go to bed."

"... …"

"Who wants to go first?" Wang Jiexi asked.

"Me!" Liu Xiaobie walked directly to Lord Grim.

"We've already agreed that you have to pass them first." Ye Xiu hinted.

"It'll be quick." Liu Xiaobie said full of confidence. He created a 1v1 room. The others joined as spectators. After Ye Xiu entered, he left a message and then left: If you win, come find me next door, password 15951.

"Rou Rou Jie, do you wanna go first?"

"Sure." Soft Mist joined the match.

Liu Xiao Bie went all out, using his APM and experience to crush Soft Mist. He defeated Tang Rou in 43 seconds, and impatiently said, "next."

Cai Lin calmly went up, and got defeated in 38 seconds. She bit on her lower lip, but did not cry or whine. Jing Jing patted her back soothingly, and said, "don't worry, the both of you did great."

Meanwhile, the pro players from Tiny Herb all cleared out, leaving Soft Mist and Alsheon alone in the room. Staring blankly, both girls left the room, and joined the room next door as a spectator. They couldn't find Lord Grim, and Cai Lin immediately realised the joke Ye Xiu had pulled. "Rou Rou Jie, I think find me next door is the room's name."

"Eh?"

"Come, let's look for him." Cai Lin urged, exiting the room.

Together, Cai Lin and Tang Rou began looking around for the room Ye Xiu was in.

"Found it~" Cai Lin typed in the password, and entered the room. True enough, Lord Grim was inside.

"How was it?" Ye Xiu asked

"They really were strong." Tang Rou said.

"Yea! That blade master has very fast hand speed, just like Rou Rou Jie!" Cai Lin added.

"That opponent just happened to counter you, Little Tang."

"It doesn't matter who the person is, I'll beat him." Tang Rou said.

"Well said Rou Rou Jie!" Cai Lin cheered.

The trio continued chatting until the pro players from Tiny Herb entered.

"Was there a point….."

Cai Lin quietly chuckled.

At the same time, Jing Jing logged into Glory. She said, "Lin Lin, I think I'll go do some quests first, call me when it's Wang Jie Xi's turn. I'm not interested in watching Brother Ye bully three-legged cats." (2)

Cai Lin nodded, and turned back to continue watching the show.

"I was talking about the system setup." Ye Xiu said.

"System setup?"

"Gambling match?" Wang Jie Xi intoned.

"Of course, it's a gambling match." Ye Xiu said.

"40 Strong Spider Silk?" Wang Jiexi saw Ye Xiu's bet.

"I don't think you guys have high-level materials either."

"We don't have these either." Wang Jiexi said impolitely.

"Come on, find a way. If you don't have these, then an equivalent exchange is fine. Would you like me to give you a list of items?" Ye Xiu asked.

Cai Lin burst out giggling. "Sorry, sorry," she apologised, taking off her headset.

"What's the matter?" Jing Jing asked.

"Brother Ye is conning them of rare materials!"

"Oh." A smirk crossed Jing Jing's face. "Mind if we share the headset? This is too good pass up."

Cai Lin nodded, positioning her headset in such a way that both girls share the sound.

Tang Rou chuckled softly. "You two…"

"What? You know we can't get this kind of entertainment from soap operas. Not to mention, a front row seat."

The rest of the Tiny Herb pro players, who were not haggling with God Ye, sweatdropped. _Luckily we only have one female in our midst…_ (Jing and Lin: HEY! We resent that! You're probably just jealous we have so many girls. *sticks out tongue*)

"Say it. What materials do you want?" Wang Jiexi asked.

Upon seeing the long list of materials, Jing Jing and Cai Lin laughed, covering their mouths to prevent the sounds from escaping.

"So you really had prepared long ago?" Wang Jiexi looked at these materials. He contacted Plantago Seed, explaining his needs. As Wang Jie Xi's and Ye Xiu's conversation came to a close, Jing Jing turned back to her monitor, reminding Cai Lin to call her when it is time for the two gods to fight.

Upon receiving the materials, Liu Xiao Bie accepted the bet and joined the match.

"Wow, so quick! You really deserve to be called the Champion team!" Ye Xiu said.

"Cut the crap!"

Ye Xiu and Liu Xiao Bie fought, and it was uplifting to watch Ye Xiu crush the opponent who had wrecked them a while ago. _Oh yea! Good job Brother Ye!_ Cai Lin cheered.

After making short work of Liu Xiao Bie, the cycle repeated itself. Cai Lin and Tang Rou were mercilessly bullied by the pro players, who in turn, were crushed by Ye Xiu. Having crushed all the pro players of Tiny Herb except Wang Jie Xi, Ye Xiu sent out a taunt: "Big-eyed Wang, you're not going to try?!"

"Come!" Wang Jiexi typed out. Together, Fiery Blaze, Alsheon and Soft Mist left the room.

Ye Xiu sent Cai Lin and Tang Rou a message each, "did you cry?"

"Yes! But I'll work even harder!" Cai Lin replied.

Ye Xiu consoled, "that's the spirit!"

"My face is covered with tears!" Tang Rou said.

"Wipe them away and continue fighting!"

"Yes!" Tang Rou replied.

Upon defeating the two girls, the three of them returned to 'find me next door'.

"Tsk tsk, you've become more merciful. If it was the you from before, then shouldn't one minute be enough? Of course, now that you're the captain, things have changed." Ye Xiu said.

"Let's start!" Wang Jiexi said.

"Do you want me to let you win this one? You guys have lost ten matches. If you happen to win this one, then it'd be a big boost to your team's morale." Ye Xiu said.

"But I don't think I'll lose for certain." Wang Jiexi said.

As usual, Jing Jing and Cai Lin started their habit of creating smoke, this time round Jing Jing made sure to cover the mic and prevent exposure. They had just gotten over the previous episode on Huang Shao Tian, the last thing they need is Ye Xiu hearing their stories. "Tsk tsk, look at Brother Ye. Taunting Wang Jie Xi will get him into trouble." Jing Jing whispered.

Cai Lin added, "yea, he must be so aroused that he tries to stop Brother Ye's brand of flirting."

"Maybe not. What if it's because trash talking reminds him of Huang Shao Tian? Imagine your lover imitating your rival, Wang Jie Xi would definitely get mad, but won't bear to hurt Brother Ye."

"Yeah, there is. Just look at Huang Shaotian." Ye Xiu said.

"…"

"Ohh that burn. Jing Jing Jie, you were right." Cai Lin nodded her head in agreement.

Jing Jing flips her hair, nose in the air.

"Oh oh the fight's starting! Let's watch." Both girls settled down to watch the match.

Both girls kept quiet, watching the battle between the two gods in awe. Wang Jie Xi's attacks became more and more unpredictable, the dazzling play style mesmerising all. Fiery Blaze and Lord Grim's health dropped rapidly, and the spectators watched anxiously, waiting to see who the winner would be.

Abruptly, a bang exploded. The two looked as if they collided and then suddenly crashed down.

"You….."

"Sigh, seeing how hard you're fighting, I should give you some face!" Ye Xiu dully said.

"True love! True love! Brother Ye loves him too much to finish him off!" Cai Lin squealed, eyes sparkling. Jing Jing nodded fervently, her hands clutching Cai Lin's tightly, forgetting to cover the mic.

Tang Rou laughed soundlessly, amused by their reactions. The interaction between Ye Xiu and Fiery Blaze was nothing unusual, but the two girls were able to 'infer' so much from their conversations. _They really have active imaginations._

The pro players of team Tiny Herb froze upon hearing Cai Lin's comment, shocked that Alsheon is a fujoshi. Most had blanked out from the revelation, and were sitting silently in front of their screens. Only Liu Fei was thinking, _another fujoshi? If she and Yan Qi can become best buddies, Yan Qi will no longer try to convert me or pester me about her favourite CPs!_

(1) Jiayou 加油 - its meaning is something along the lines of 'you can it!' or 'good luck!' Another meaning for this two words is 'add oil' (literal meaning btw XD)

(2) Three-legged cats - a term used to describe someone who's not very experienced/ knows only the surface stuff.


	14. Omakes

A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! As a thank you to all my readers, here's a little something extra~ It's not much, but it's supposed to be light-hearted little snippets! Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

 **Omake 1**

"Jing Jing Jie! Jing Jing Jie!"

"Hmm?"

"If I'm your mei mei (younger sis), shouldn't we have the same surname?"

"...Are you sure? You gave your name as Cai Lin, if you were to add my surname, it'd be Huang Cai Lin."

"Eh what's wrong with that?"

"...Huang Cai Lin...it sounds like yellow vegetable Lin…"

"...Let's just stick to Cai Lin." -_-|||

 **Omake 2**

"Jing Jing Jie! Jing Jing Jie!"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you not have a nickname for me? Chen Guo is Guo Guo, Tang Rou is Rou Rou, heck, even Ye Xiu is Brother Ye! Aren't we supposed to be close?"

"You also call me Jing Jing, you just add a -jie at the back."

"It's your name's fault! It's already called Jing Jing, what nickname can I come up with?!"

"... …"

"I don't care! You'd better come up with a nickname!"

"Okay then...how about Lin Lin?"

"That's better." Cai Lin nods her head in satisfaction.


	15. Chapter 12-point-5 - Happy 2018!

A/N: To all my dear readers, here's a half chappie for y'all to chew on before 2018! May y'all have a Happy New Year, and good luck with your goals for 2018!

Hi ashlynx, glad to read that you found my story funny :D I hope to make my readers laugh, since our world is pretty fcked up, so why not let loose and laugh here?

Hey Cai Lin mei, thanks for the Christmas greetings :D As for YX's and WJX's reactions, obviously YX accidentally breathed in too much cigarette smoke and choked, so the cigarette dropped onto his pants and burnt a hole. WJX, yes, he choked too, but what was more obvious was his eyes. (O.O) since one is bigger than the other, so when he heard CL's 'true love' comment he got so shocked that his eyes went O.O XDDD

* * *

The next day, all eleven players from Tiny Herb gathered for the training with Ye Xiu. Unlike the previous day, when all were busy fighting, the pro players were a lot more polite and added Tang Rou, Cai Lin and Ye Xiu to their friend list. Cai Lin wanted to speak to Qiao Yi Fan, but had no idea how to start conversing with him without making it suspicious. While cooking up possible scenarios to talk, she received a message from Fallen Angel: "Sister, watching these matches all the time can get boring. What do you say we go play for a few rounds?"

Cai Lin wanted to refuse, but upon remembering how Wang Jie Xi tried to use Liu Fei to sway Tang Rou over, she happily agreed, and the three girls left the room together. Sure enough, Fiery Blaze followed them.

"Rou Rou Jie, you go first." Cai Lin offered.

"Thank you." Tang Rou smiled, and accepted the match.

While Tang Rou and Liu Fei were fighting, Fiery Blaze quietly observed the match. After winning Tang Rou, Liu Fei fought with Cai Lin. In one and a half minute, she easily defeated Alsheon.

Liu Fei consoled, "don't be disheartened, the both of you play pretty well."

Tang Rou felt helpless, as she disliked others pitying her. Cai Lin gently patted Tang Rou's hand, aware of her emotions.

"It's my turn now. I'll be going first." Liu Fei said, and left the room.

 _Leaving us alone with your captain. Great work, Liu Fei._ Cai Lin thought.

"The both of you really play pretty well." Wang Jie Xi reaffirmed Liu Fei's words.

Both Soft Mist and Alsheon turned their cameras to face Fiery Blaze.

"Could I ask what your names are? I'm talking about your real names." Wang Jiexi said.

"Tang Rou."

"Cai Lin."

"How about we go for a round?"

"Sure!" Tang Rou and Cai Lin agreed, the latter exiting the field to let Tang Rou fight first.

After the countdown, both began fighting. Wang Jie Xi went all out, using his Magician playstyle to crush Tang Rou in 27 seconds. Cai Lin went up next, and was handedly defeated as well. Having given her all for the match, Cai Lin's hands were throbbing painfully. She massaged her sore hands, waiting for Wang Jie Xi to speak up.

"Do the either of you want to go again?" Wang Jie Xi asked.

"No." Cai Lin quickly replied. "The gap's too wide."

"The gap is only temporary. The both of you have a lot of potential!"

"Thank you." Tang Rou and Cai Lin chorused.

"Do you have any interest in playing in the Pro Alliance?" Wang Jiexi suddenly said.

"So you guys are pro players." Cai Lin confirmed.

"Correct. We're Team Tiny Herb. If either of you are interested, then right now I want to give you a serious invite. An invite for you to come to our Club for a trial."

An idea flashed in Cai Lin's head. "Thank you, but I don't wanna be separated from my jie jie. Unless she can join Tiny Herb, I won't come."

Wang Jie Xi was surprised by Cai Lin's reply, and tried to convince her otherwise. "Not all pro players live in the dorms provided, some go home every day if they are in the same city. You can choose to do that too."

"But I live in City H."

"It's pretty normal for pro players to work in different cities, and they get to go home during Lunar New Year and the holidays."

"Why can't I just get my jie jie to come along?" Cai Lin decided to whine a little.

Wang Jie Xi showed an exasperated expression. Giving up on Cai Lin, he asked Tang Rou, "what about you?"

"Thank you, but I don't think there's a need to."

"What?" Wang Jiexi stared blankly, shocked at Tang Rou's calm refusal.

"I'm very happy with the way things are right now, so I don't want that to change." Tang Rou explained.

"What ….. type of life are you living?"

"A little sister at the Internet Cafe." Tang Rou laughed.

"Internet Cafe waitress….." Wang Jiexi was even more speechless. How could this type of life compare to a pro-player?

"...Captain Wang," Cai Lin spoke up. "Why don't you test my jie jie? I'm sure she's good enough to be on the training team with me."

 _Training team?! I thought we might get her to be one of Herb Garden's paid players (1) if she's decent, but this girl just assumes we are going to put her in the training team?!_

Wang Jie Xi cleared his throat. "Why not give me your parents' contact number and let me speak to them?"

"... …" Cai Lin unconsciously clenched her fist, eyes distraught. _We are in different worlds right now, how can I contact them? I don't know how they're doing right now, is Dad fine? Am I considered missing? ..._

Seeing Cai Lin's reaction, Tang Rou quietly explained, "they are orphans, her jie jie is her guardian."

"My apologies, I didn't mean to…"

"...No. It's not your fault." Cai Lin shook her head, slapping her face to come back to her senses.

"...Still, it was inconsiderate of me. I apologise."

"If you want to make it up to me, contact my jie jie via Glory. Her account name is Green Fish, and she's attempting the Heavenly Domain Challenge." Cai Lin quickly demanded. _Hey! I've got to milk it for all that it's worth! Don't judge!_

"..."

"...Ehehe...oops, I've got to go to the washroom. Be right back!" Cai Lin hastily made up an excuse, and escaped from her seat.

Tang Rou chuckled softly. "If you'll excuse me, I think it's time for my next match." Soft Mist left the room, leaving Fiery Blaze to stare at Alsheon. Sighing, Wang Jie Xi left the room as well, keen on observing Tang Rou's match.

(1) Paid players - they are people hired by the different clubs to play the game, usually running the in-game guild or are core players i.e. people like Ariesama, Plantago Seed, Blue River etc. They have pretty decent skills, but don't play matches as they are not good enough. **Not sure if I translated it correctly, if anyone knows a better term do let me know!**


	16. Chapter 13

A/N: To all who have favourited and followed my story, thank you, thank you so much! It delights me that there's a group of readers out there who like my story, and think that it is good enough to merit a favourite/follow or even both! To all who've spent time reviewing my story, thank you! I really love to read your comments, and shout out to Alsheon for your regular reviews!

Apart from all that, I would like to announce that I'm taking a break from this story. I'm NOT abandoning the story, it's just that my muse has left me and now I'm struggling with my next chapter. I've no idea when my muse will return, so I'd like to let y'all know that I may not update for awhile. I'm so, so sorry to all who've followed/favourited this story, please don't throw bad eggs at me T.T

Lots of love, Green Fish.

* * *

Disclaimer: Quan Zhi Gao Shou/The King's Avatar does not belong to me, except for my own OCs. If it was mine, Su Mu Qiu would have never died.

As the days passed, Wang Jie Xi continued chatting with Tang Rou and Cai Lin, hoping that either would change her mind. Tang Rou maintained that she was happy with her current lifestyle, while Cai Lin rebuffed all his words with a demand: fight Green Fish.

Initially, Wang Jie Xi ignored Cai Lin's request, choosing to focus his efforts on recruiting Tang Rou. In his opinion, Cai Lin's words were that of a childish teenager, one who has yet to give serious thoughts about her future, and thus, not as appealing as the dedicated Tang Rou. Despite all his attempts, Tang Rou remained indifferent, satisfied with the status quo.

Sighing, Wang Jie Xi could only turn his attention to Cai Lin, and gave in to her demand. He spoke to Herb Garden, asking them to keep an eye out for a player named Green Fish, who is currently attempting the Heavenly Domain Challenge. Luckily for Wang Jie Xi, he did not have to wait long. The very next evening, he received news from Herb Garden's Guild Leader.

"Captain Wang! We've found Green Fish!" Arisaema reported.

Nodding calmly, Wang Jie Xi followed Arisaema made his way over to the club's in-game guild department. Along the way, Arisaema explained that Green Fish is a level 54 Sharpshooter, and despite a 16 level suppression, her mechanics are good enough to give veteran players a lot of trouble. She would even win a match or two if her opponent did not take her seriously. Mildly intrigued, Wang Jie Xi made up his mind to fight Green Fish. Wang Jie Xi was led to one of the paid players in the corner of the room, who quickly passed his seat over.

 _Lemongrass? A Witch?_ Wang Jie Xi mused. Behind Wang Jie Xi, the paid player looked on nervously, starry eyed that Wang Jie Xi was using his character, even if it was just to chat with another player in game.

"Hello Ms Cai, I am Wang Jie Xi, captain of Team Tiny Herb. I believe Ms Cai Lin have mentioned me before."

"Wang Jie Xi?" Jing Jing sputtered. She turned her head to glare accusingly at Cai Lin, who gave her a confused look. Cai Lin craned her neck, peeking at Jing Jing's screen, before flashing the latter a cheeky smile.

Swiftly composing herself, Jing Jing said, "ahem. I'm afraid she neglected to tell me about your conversations. Can you please fill me in?" She silently stared at Cai Lin. _I'll settle this with you later._

"Of course, Ms Cai…"

"Err, my surname is Huang, not Cai…" Jing Jing interrupted.

"... ...My apologies, Ms Huang. Ms Cai Lin did not mention your name in our conversation, so I assumed that you have the same surname as her. Could I have your name please?"

"Jing Jing. Huang Jing Jing."

"Ms Huang, I played against Ms Cai Lin in the Arena awhile ago and saw that she has a lot of potential. Thus, I invited her to come Tiny Herb for a trial. She refused, and insisted that I fight a match with you." Wang Jie Xi briefly explained.

 _Huh._ Jing Jing raised her eyebrow. _Well, since Cai Lin has given me such a wonderful opportunity, I'd better make good use of it._

"Alright then, let's fight."

"?"

"Didn't you come for a match? Let's fight first, and talk later."

"Alright. Fixed Field?" Wang Jie Xi cooly agreed, rearranging some of the skills.

"Sure." Jing Jing changed the settings, and prepared for the countdown.

"Ready?" Jing Jing asked.

"Yes."

The countdown began.

 _Oh my gosh Captain Wang is using my character to PK! I feel so honored! Argh if I only I'd brought my notebook along!_ The owner of Lemongrass bemoaned.

Once the match started, Lemongrass shot forward, sending out a Magic Missile. Green Fish dodged it, and shot three Anti-Tank Missiles. (1) Lemongrass easily avoided the bullets, all the while closing in on Green Fish.

32 seconds later, Green Fish fell. Immediately, she clicked the 'again' option.

"Again?" Jing Jing asked.

"...Ok."

Two rounds later, Wang Jie Xi asked for a break. Jing Jing agreed, saving up the recordings of the latest match. She leaned back, massaging her fingers gently.

"Ms Huang, now that we have fought a few rounds, I'd like to continue our previous discussion."

"Mm-hmm. You mean giving Cai Lin my consent to go Tiny Herb for a trial?"

"Yes. To be honest, I'm also quite curious about you, Ms Huang."

"Me?"

"How long have you been playing Glory for?"

"Err… ..." Jing Jing paused, opening her calendar to check.

 _I came on the 4th, started playing on 5th…._ Jing Jing quickly made an estimation. "Over two weeks?"

"Over two weeks?" Wang Jie Xi immediately understood that Green Fish was power leveled by a friend. _She has a lot of potential too._

"Ms Huang, I'd like to extend an invitation to you as well. An invitation to come Tiny Herb for a trial."

 _Me too? I know I'm not too bad, but doesn't Tiny Herb already have two Sharpshooters? Oh wait, they will most probably make me change my class, like Qiao Yi Fan._

"Hmmm...may I know the reasons?"

"You are a fast learner, and have good accuracy for a beginner. Plus, you have an aptitude for tactics, and are still young."

 _Young? When I'm already 19?_ Jing Jing chuckled, but replied with a polite "thank you".

Wang Jie Xi made a noncommittal sound, and for a short while, both parties stayed silent. Jing Jing wanted to outright refuse Wang Jie Xi, but paused, knowing that she and Cai Lin will benefit from entering Tiny Herb's training camp.

Jing Jing quickly thought the situation over. _If we go Tiny Herb, we'd get professional training. However, that means we'd have to leave Ye Xiu, Chen Guo and Tang Rou. I'm sure Cai Lin doesn't want that. As for me? Do I really want to give up one year of playing Sharpshooter just to be trained in my fundamentals?_ She stared blankly at Green Fish.

"...Jing Jie, Jing Jing Jie, you dropped your wallet."

 _Eh?_ Jing Jing turned to look at Cai Lin, who was holding out Jing Jing's wallet. "You should be more careful Jing Jing Jie, it will cause us a lot of trouble if you lose it. Why not keep it in Guo Guo Jie's apartment?"

 _Oh yea! I totally forgot, we don't know if our IDs are legal here! Well, I guess I have my answer._ Smiling wryly, Jing Jing took her wallet from Cai Lin's outstretched hand, softly thanking the younger girl for her alertness.

Wang Jie Xi was about to suggest that he give Jing Jing some time to consider his offer when she spoke up.

"Thank you very much for your invitation, but I would like to decline your offer." Pausing, Jing Jing added, "not just for myself, but on Cai Lin's behalf as well."

"Care to elaborate?" _Another refusal? Since when did an invitation from a champion team become so worthless?_

"...Personal reasons." _I can't tell him that we came from another world, and don't know if our IDs exist_ _._

"... …" _I can't pry even if I wanted to._ "Alright. Thank you for your time." Wang Jie Xi said, wrapping up the conversation.

"Likewise. Thank you for sparing some time to fight me."

Wang Jie Xi stood up, and returned his seat to its original owner.

"Ummm...Captain Wang, can you please take a picture with me?!" The excited fan squeaked, hands trembling slightly.

Wang Jie Xi nodded, and the overjoyed fan took a selfie with him.

"Thank you! Thank you so much Captain Wang! Tiny Herb will be this year's champions!"

"We will." Wang Jie Xi smiled and nodded politely, before making his way out of the room.

 _Hmpf! So what even if I forgot my notebook! A picture is just as good! Die of jealousy, mortals! Mwahahaha!_

...

Seeing Lemongrass stand motionlessly, Jing Jing exited the Arena. She settled Green Fish in a nearby town, before turning to face Cai Lin.

Catching Jing Jing's stare, Cai Lin paused her game, and smiled sheepishly at Jing Jing.

"Sorry Jing Jing Jie. I wanted to give you a surprise."

"You mean a shock." Jing Jing corrected.

"Ehehe. You know, I learnt a lot from the pro players over the past few days, and I felt that it was a pity you didn't join us in these lessons. So, I decided to try and give you a chance to fight against Wang Jie Xi."

"Yes, but it would have been better if you had given me a heads up. What if I was eating or drinking during then? I might have choked." Jing Jing chided, and jokingly threatened, "as punishment, I shall eat all your snacks for the next two weeks, especially your potato chips."

"Nooooo! Anything but my chips!" Cai Lin dramatically wailed. "You are so mean Jing Jing Jie!"

"You reap what you sow." Jing Jing said, forcefully suppressing her urge to laugh.

"Then, I shall hide all my chips so that you can't find them." Cai Lin cheekily stuck out her tongue.

"Don't be so cheeky." Jing Jing lightly flicked her forehead, putting on a serious expression, but was betrayed by her eyes full of mirth.

Seeing that Jing Jing was just teasing her, Cai Lin relaxed, happy that Jing Jing was not upset by her 'surprise'. Of course, she planned on stashing her chips in a corner of Chen Guo's room, in case Jing Jing decides to take away all her chips in the cupboard.

(1) Anti-Tank Missile - It's a Launcher skill that is below level 20, so I'm assuming that all Gunner class share this skill, regardless of whether the character uses a cannon. None of the sites that I've searched stated clearly about shared skills, so this is just my assumption. Of course, the damage would differ according to weapon, but it's usable by, say a Sharpshooter or Spitfire using a revolver.


End file.
